FG Mandates Drug Tests for Secondary School Students Nationwide
- The federal government has established a mandatory drug testing policy for all newly admitted secondary school students to ensure early detection and intervention
- Authorities implemented a structured three-stage rehabilitation process that prioritised counselling and professional medical treatment
- Education officials authorised schools to temporarily suspend students who failed a third consecutive drug test until they completed a formal rehabilitation program
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The federal government has launched a rigorous national strategy to curb the rising tide of narcotics consumption within the secondary education system.
Central to this new directive is the requirement for all incoming students to undergo mandatory drug integrity screenings before they are formally admitted into their respective institutions.
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Mandatory drug screening for secondary students
According to Punch, the new measures, contained in the National Implementation Guidelines Against Drug and Substance Use in Schools in Nigeria, provide the operational blueprint for these changes.
According to the document, the main objective is to "create a conducive environment for teaching and learning in the institutions by reducing the negative effect substance abuse has on the mental health and academic performance of students/learners."
To ensure the integrity of the process, the guidelines specify that "all new students/learners shall be subjected to drug tests and other measures approved by the schools/learning centres at the point of entry."
These screenings are not isolated events. The ministry has directed schools to work alongside accredited federal or state health facilities to conduct tests at least once per academic session for both fresh and returning students.
Comprehensive rehabilitation and intervention protocols
The government has structured the enforcement of this policy around a three tier system of assistance and discipline.
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The ministry clarified that "the aim is to identify students who may need help and to promote a safe and healthy school environment."
A student who records an initial positive result will not face immediate expulsion. Instead, the framework dictates that "persons found to be positive to drugs shall undergo the initial intervention and treatment, which shall include counselling as might be found appropriate by the school authority."
If a second test returns positive, the school must refer the individual to medical professionals for specialized clinical attention.
Temporary suspension for persistent drug use
Suspension serves as a final resort for those who fail to show improvement after multiple interventions.
The policy states that:
"if found to be positive again, such a student shall be temporarily suspended from the school environment to take treatment from a professional and undergo rehabilitation that might be found appropriate by the professional."
Every institution is now required to form a disciplinary committee led by the school administrator to oversee these cases.
Furthermore, the government has taken a firm stance on security. Any violent episodes or physical injuries resulting from substance abuse must be reported to law enforcement agencies immediately.
Students who refuse to cooperate with the mandated rehabilitation plans will remain separated from the school community until medical experts certify their stability.
FG introduces fresh measures to tackle WAEC, NECO malpractice
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government has rolled out fresh measures aimed at tackling examination malpractice in the Senior School Certificate Examination, a key requirement for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
The new steps apply to examinations conducted by the West African Examination Council, the National Examination Council and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board.
Source: Legit.ng
