Schools Are Removing Analogue Clocks — Because Teenagers Can’t Tell the Time

In classrooms around the world, a quiet change is taking place.

Traditional analogue clocks — once a symbol of school discipline and routine — are being removed.

The reason?

Many teenagers can no longer read them.

A Surprising Discovery in Modern Classrooms

Teachers began noticing a pattern.

Students frequently asked:

• “What time is it?”

• “How long until the bell?”

Even when an analogue clock was hanging directly in front of them.

For educators, this raised a difficult question:
Is time-telling becoming a lost skill?

The Digital Generation Problem

Teenagers today grow up surrounded by digital displays.

Phones.
Tablets.
Smartwatches.

Time is shown in numbers — not hands.

As a result, many students never fully learn how to interpret:

• Hour hands

• Minute hands

• Quarter past / half past concepts

Teachers Say It Slows Down Learning

In exams and lessons, time awareness matters.

Teachers report:

• Students misjudging how much time remains

• Anxiety during timed tests

• Constant interruptions asking for time

Replacing analogue clocks with digital ones reduces confusion and stress.

Schools Are Choosing Practicality Over Tradition

Some schools argue this change is not about lowering standards.

It’s about:

• Efficiency

• Reducing classroom distractions

• Meeting students where they are

Digital clocks provide immediate clarity.

Critics Say It’s a Dangerous Shortcut

Not everyone agrees.

Many parents and educators worry that removing analogue clocks sends the wrong message.

They argue:

• Reading an analogue clock is a basic life skill

• It helps with spatial reasoning

• It connects to math concepts

“If we remove the challenge,” critics say, “students never learn.”

What Does Science Say?

Educational psychologists note that analogue clocks require:

• Visual interpretation

• Fraction understanding

• Cognitive mapping

These skills strengthen problem-solving abilities.

Removing analogue clocks may reduce opportunities for mental development.

A Generational Divide Emerges

Older generations often react with disbelief.

“Kids today can use smartphones but can’t tell time?”

This fuels broader debates about:

• Over-reliance on technology

• Declining practical skills

• Changes in education priorities

Students Have Mixed Feelings

Some teenagers admit they struggle with analogue clocks.

Others say:

• They were never properly taught

• Digital clocks are simply faster

• Analogue clocks feel outdated

Many students argue the real issue is how time is taught — not the clocks themselves.

Should Schools Teach Both?

Experts increasingly suggest a balanced approach.

Rather than removing analogue clocks entirely, schools could:

• Teach analogue time-reading more clearly

• Use both clock types in classrooms

• Reinforce the skill in early education

This keeps tradition alive while embracing modern needs.

A Symbol of a Bigger Shift

This debate isn’t really about clocks.

It reflects:

• How education adapts to technology

• What skills matter in a digital world

• Whether convenience should replace competence

Final Thought

Removing analogue clocks may solve a short-term problem.

But it also raises a deeper question:

Are we adapting education to students — or lowering expectations for them?

Time, after all, keeps moving forward.

Whether students can read it or not.