Ground report: Schools directed to run drug awareness programmes

Moving to the second phase of Yudh Nashian De Virudh, the Punjab school education department has rolled out a comprehensive strategy to implement drug de-addiction and awareness programmes in government schools across the state. In a letter issued by Punjab SCERT director to district education officers (DEOs) and school principals across the state, the officials have been directed to sensitize parents on early detection of drug abuse in their children and to train teachers in preventive drug de-addition and rehabilitation measures.

As part of the school-level intervention, the education department has directed all school principals and district education officers to appoint dedicated nodal officers to initiate and implement these directives at the earliest. The schools in each district have already held block level workshops for teachers to oversee the implementation of major programmes such as the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) campaign, and the Buddy Programme.

DEO Kanwaljeet Singh, Amritsar, said that soon, drug awareness and de-addiction would be made a part of syllabus for deeper understanding of the issue. “Under the plan, two teachers from each government senior secondary school preferably from classes9 to 12 will be trained in preventive and counseling based techniques to ensure integration of preventive education with rehabilitation and skill-building pathways. The training workshops have already been conducted for teachers and these teachers would further interact and sensitize parents in their respective schools on identifying, intervention and rehabilitation methods,” he said.

MLA Ajnala Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today while addressing a rally on launching the second phase of Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, called upon the people to unite against drugs in the drug de-addiction yatras that are being held in the border villages of Matte Nangal , Gore Nangal , Kotla Mughal , Talwandi Bhangwan , Boharwala and Madhu Changa. He said that while panchyats, health department, police and common people are being enagaged in proactive measures against drug abuse, “We are motivating teachers and parents to detect early signs, behavioral changes and other changes in your children or family members, who are between the age group of adolescent and 18 above. These can be indicators of drug abuse and intervention in encouraged,” he said.

Meanwhile, the letter from SCERT Director to DEOs and School Heads states that the schools, in line with Centre’s NAsha Mukt Bharat campaign, should take help of local enforcement agencies, screen documentaries and organize street plays and take help of experts to sensitize students and their parents on signs of drug abuse so that young lives could be saved.

wuw