EDUCATION MINISTER OKAYS MANDATORY DRUG TESTS FOR TERTIARY STUDENTS
Read Time:2 Minute, 50 Second
By: Sefiu Ajape
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has expressed support for the implementation of compulsory and random drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions nationwide.
This endorsement came after a meeting held on Wednesday in Abuja with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), where both parties deliberated on strategies to tackle substance abuse among students.
According to a statement issued the same day by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the minister also approved the revision of the existing secondary school curriculum to include updated drug education content and pledged to establish an inter-ministerial working group with the NDLEA.
Babafemi stated that the NDLEA chairman proposed a three-fold strategy: updating drug education in schools, launching dedicated drug abuse prevention programmes at the secondary level, and enforcing a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions for freshers, returning students, and through random checks.
Marwa described the drug scourge as a threat to national security and youth development, citing its links to criminal activities such as terrorism and banditry.
He disclosed that the agency had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tonnes of drugs in the past two years.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” he said.
Responding, Alausa acknowledged the urgency of the problem, stating: “When the youths get into drugs, they won’t go to school, and even when they go to school, they are not getting a functional education.
“At the end of the day, what happens? Their level of critical thinking is lower.
“Their ability to make informed decisions in the later part of their life becomes significantly reduced. So, they become unemployable.
“And what happens? You now have that vicious cycle. They’re not functional.”
The minister stated that drug tests for fresh and returning students in tertiary institutions would be done.
He said, “You also said something very important about the drug test policy in tertiary institutions. We will do it.
“We have to do it. We do not have a choice. At least, we’ll start with tertiary institutions, for their fresh and returning students as well as random testing.”
He announced the creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the ministry and confirmed that a revised curriculum for secondary schools was underway.
Alausa said, “I would suggest we form a technical working group, an inter-ministerial working group between our ministry and NDLEA.
“As a result, I would also like to create a Substance Use Prevention Unit in the ministry.
“We’re reviewing the curriculum now for secondary school. And that’s why I’ve asked the Director of Senior Secondary School to come, to be here and then we find a way to cascade it down to primary school.
“We need to incorporate both primary and secondary schools into their curriculum. But the one for secondary school, we can do that now. We’re currently developing their new curriculum.
“Also, on the stand-alone school programmes, I agree with you fully. We should also design ongoing programmes in our schools. That we can roll out, and cascade down.”
The minister also committed to working with the Universal Basic Education Commission and Tertiary Education Trust Fund to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0