THE Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Schools’ Welfare Service, the Salvation Army, the Phoenix Recovery Programme and the School Health Unit, staged its first ‘Drug Prevention Education Programme’ training workshop yesterday at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

Recognising that drugs are being taken into the school system and are the prime reason for poor academic performances, the MoE held the workshop under the theme: ‘Make the right choice: Say no to drugs’. The aim of the workshop was to highlight the many social and sensitive issues that attend drug use, as well as the challenges teachers are faced with today.

The workshop commenced on Monday and concluded yesterday. Sixty-five teachers from some 22 secondary schools throughout Guyana attended the workshop, and were treated to special deliveries from officials within the Ministry of Education and the collaborating agencies.

Mercylene Moses, Senior Guidance and Counselling Officer in the Ministry of Education’s Welfare Division, told this publication that she was immensely pleased with this initiative, since, “I am concerned about the growth and development of students and young people generally, and I know of the abuse drugs can cause.”

Moreover, she admonished parents to play a huge role in their children’s lives, since many are not aware of their children’s behaviour outside of the home.

She said it is significant that “if a child is found with drugs in school, the teacher should report it to the police,” and was adamant that this is the measure schools should take in such a situation.

Julian Vyphius, Chief School’s Welfare Officer, disclosed that, over the year, 10 cases were reported involving students caught with drugs on the schools’ premises.

Vyphuis added that 5% of children in schools use drugs, and the MoE has accordingly been actively involved in combating this. The ministry has thus far initiated ‘Operation Shake-Down’, whereby officials would visit various schools every week and carry out a random search for weapons as well as drugs.

Additionally, referral systems are in place, whereby trained teachers would recognise users of illicit substances and refer them to the Narcotics Division.

In January 2015, the MoE would begin monitoring the schools that would have participated in the workshop and would have them report on their performance in terms of arresting this drug use practice after this intervention.

(Shivanie Sugrim)