Collecting their phones from a box after sitting exams on Wednesday, several Wodonga Senior Secondary College year 11 students strongly opposed the Victorian government's plan, announced this week, to introduce such a policy into state schools next year.

Nicholas Missen, 17, labelled the move "a breach of our freedom".

"I can see the point of not having phones in class, that's understandable, I always put my phone in the box, I respect that rule," he said.

"But lunch and recess, that's our time, we're not in the eyes of the teachers.

"That's our time to eat and have a quick laugh with the boys, with our friends, I think (the plan's) just ridiculous."

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Chloe Hall, 16, didn't think the new policy would be popular with anyone "apart from parents".

"Kids like to socialise, especially during lunchtime, I understand during class but I think it's pretty unfair not to be allowed to use them during recess," she said.

Brock Thompson, 17, believed a ban would be difficult to monitor.

"A lot of people have their phones on them all the time and they're always on them in class, even when there's rules set not to have them," he said.

Thomas Frampton, 16, felt students could be distracted by other technology like a computer or iPad as easily as a mobile phone.

"Wherever you are, you're going to always have that little thing 'I could just go and play a game', watch YouTube, do this instead of working, it will just switch from the phone to that," he said.

College principal Vern Hilditch said he'd be interested to see how the policy would be implemented.

"For many students (mobile phones) are not just toys, they are an essential part of their life and they have to be connected," he said.

Mr Hilditch said personal circumstances related to safety or responding to rosters for part-time jobs might make phone access more necessary.

"It's not just the one model fits all, there are some issues, but if it's managed properly ... then I'm sure it will be quite successful," he said.

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Rutherglen High School principal Phil Rogers said his school already didn't allow mobile phones to be seen or heard during the school day, viewing them as a distraction that often caused problems between students.

"Technology and devices can be helpful but, like most tools, there can be negative aspects," he said.

"Regardless of whether it's a ban or a local school rule, what you end up is that it doesn't work unless you've got buy-in from the other stakeholders.

"For it to work the parents have to come on board, for it to work the teachers and kids have to come on board, otherwise it will have limited effect.

"My question would be for the department, what happens if a parent or child doesn't co-operate with the ban?"

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said yesterday he'd thought "long and hard", but felt banning mobile phones in schools was "the right thing to do".

"It will cut down on distraction in the classroom and cyber-bullying in the schoolyard," he tweeted.

The NSW government late last year announced a ban on the use of mobile devices in public primary schools during school hours, with high schools given the choice to opt in or adopt other measures.

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the primary school ban, being rolled out this year, had received a good response.

"We didn't have too much backlash, to be fair, obviously there's going to be some opposition but our stakeholders have been very much in favour of it," she said.

Some feedback indicated people didn't think a ban would be suitable in high school.

"At the moment we've left it up to the principals to make that decision," the spokeswoman said.

"They know best how their students are reacting to having devices in schools.

"A lot of principals believe that it's actually beneficial to the students in terms of enhancing their learning experience, it's helpful to have them travelling to and from school."

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