The Ministry of Education has urged educators and school administrators nationwide to enhance their vigilance regarding students, in light of increasing worries about the infiltration of drug networks within primary and secondary schools.
This request comes in response to recent intelligence and enforcement actions by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), which indicate that drug-related incidents are becoming more prevalent in educational settings, rather than being limited to conventional street-level distribution.
In an interview conducted on Wednesday, June 25, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, voiced his alarm over the rising consumption of opioids and tramadol among youth, characterizing this trend as part of a larger national and global issue of drug abuse that necessitates immediate action.
He stated that the government is working in conjunction with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service to enhance monitoring and preventive strategies within schools.
Dr. Apaak emphasized that teachers play a crucial role in recognizing atypical behavior among students and in thwarting the establishment of drug-related activities in educational environments.
He encouraged educators and school officials to perform searches of students’ belongings as a means to bolster discipline and ensure safety on school grounds.
“Thus, in our context, our initiative through the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana TVET Service is to implore teachers to remain highly observant of their students’ behaviors. If deemed necessary, they should inspect their bags.
“Furthermore, it is important to note that since we assumed governance, as part of our commitment to reinstating discipline within our educational framework, we have empowered the administrators of our secondary schools, in particular, with the authority to examine the luggage and other bags, trunks, and storage boxes that students bring to their dormitories,” he stated.
Dr. Apaak emphasized that tackling the increasing menace of drug abuse and trafficking within educational institutions necessitates a collaborative effort that includes teachers, parents, school administrators, and law enforcement agencies.
