The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has expressed full support for the implementation of compulsory and random drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The endorsement followed a strategic meeting in Abuja on Wednesday between the Minister and the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), where both parties reviewed collaborative measures to tackle the growing menace of substance abuse among students.
According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the minister not only backed the proposed drug testing policy but also approved the review of the national secondary school curriculum to strengthen drug education at the foundational level.
Dr Alausa further committed to establishing an inter-ministerial working group in collaboration with the NDLEA to deepen the reach and coordination of anti-drug initiatives in the education sector.
During the meeting, Gen. Marwa proposed a three-pronged strategy aimed at curbing drug abuse in schools. These include: revising drug education content in the curriculum, introducing standalone drug abuse prevention programmes in secondary schools, and enforcing a comprehensive drug testing regime in tertiary institutions.
The tests would cover newly admitted students, returning students, and would also be conducted randomly.