Andorra Bans iPads in Primary Schools Over Security Gaps After Kids Access Adult Content

Andorra's Education Department has permanently excluded iPads from primary school classrooms after an audit confirmed persistent security risks that Apple tools cannot address locally.

State Secretary for Education and Universities Josep Anton Bardina and Director of Higher Education, Research, and Technological Innovation Xavier Campuzano announced the decision during a media briefing on the updated technology plan for schools. The move follows an external review prompted by a June incident in which a first-grade pupil accessed pornographic content on one of the devices, leading to their immediate removal from classrooms.

The audit tested 97 iPads through around 90,000 checks. While 70% passed fully, nine received partial approval and 20 failed outright. It verified that XENA network filters operate correctly but exposed vulnerabilities when devices connect to external Wi-Fi, such as from a mobile phone, bypassing safeguards. Campuzano explained that full supervision requires Apple's School Manager application, unavailable in Andorra despite years of requests. "The pressure we can exert from a country like Andorra is low," he said. "We've spoken with all companies, but with Apple, we haven't succeeded."

Unlike Windows devices or Chromebooks, which integrate with effective oversight systems, iPads evade controls through unmonitored access or unapproved apps. Bardina noted that the roughly 380 affected units—mostly over five years old and nearing obsolescence—will not be replaced at cycle end. The remaining 60 will shift to lifelong learning centers. Primary classes will rely on existing desktops, laptop trolleys, and other resources, with activities adjusted accordingly.

The ban applies solely to primary education, where devices were already withdrawn preventively after the June 19 event. Officials stressed that no inherent insecurity exists in iPads or Chromebooks, but rather a lack of total supervision capability.