Committees to monitor drug use in National schools: MoE
View(s):With the scourge of drugs affecting schools in the country, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has taken measures to safeguard schoolchildren from falling prey to drug use, by setting up Committees in all National schools as a preventive measure. Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said his Ministry is concerned about addiction among schoolchildren and has initiated drug prevention campaigns.
To strengthen the programme, the MoE has issued forms to National schools Principals to be filled by them, with details of students addicted to drugs, and submit them each month to the Zonal Education Offices. The forms will have several queries to be filled out such as what kind of drugs the students have got addicted to, where such substances are bought etc.
A part of the prevention program is to educate students about the danger in using drugs. The Narcotics Unit of the Police Dept too, will be involved in this programme, to talk to students on how they can be lured into using drugs and other harmful substances. The onus will be on the school Principals to ensure their schools stay drug free. - DW