The Ministry of Education is declaring “War Against Drugs and Substance” in schools.
The Minister for Education, Mr Filipe Bole, has approved the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) to spearhead the proposal. NSAAC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Education. The proposal is for schools to have two drug awareness programmes in a year.
Part of the proposal is for school staff members to be free from drugs and other illicit substances within the school premises. That includes yaqona, alcohol, and cigarettes. To strengthen the awareness programme, schools that meet the criteria will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition.
As incentives, schools that remain drug free for a year will be presented with a Bronze award, a Silver award for schools that remain drug free for two to four years, and a Gold award for schools that remain drug free for five years or more.
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Mr Filipe Bole