‘Cash-rich school children targets of drug dealers’
KUCHING: Using cash-rich school children to push drugs is a common modus operandi of drug dealers, National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) warns.
State AADK assistant director Winnie Lungit said education institutions including schools have become the main target for drug dealers, knowing parents will give their children pocket money.
“This is one of their (drug dealers) marketing strategies. Thus, everyone including parents and teachers play extremely important role to prevent and stop any kind of drug activity, including selling and distributing, by outsiders to students,” she said at the closing of a Drugs Prevention and Education Carnival and 3K ( Safety, Cleanliness and Welfare) programme at SMK Petra Jaya here yesterday.
She also reminded parents that they should provide guidance and motivation to their children so they keep away from drugs and not fall prey to drug peddlers.
“Prevention starts at home, so parents must know what need to be done for their children and ensure they are not easily influenced by their peers and outsiders,” she said.
SMK Petra Jaya principal Awang Daud Awang Lehin also said early behavioral signs of drug problems in students include truancy, coming to school on selected days only, decreasing academic performance, red eyes, sleeping in class and frequenting the toilet more than usual.
“So to all students, assess yourself to see if you have these warning signs of drug problems. Nevertheless, the school will take stern action in this matter and is committed to take all necessary measures to prevent this problem from happening with the help of relevant agencies,” he added.
The carnival and 3K programme, organised by the Education Ministry and implemented in schools at district, state and national-level is intended to strengthen the mentality of young children with knowledge and skills to refuse drugs and other social ills.
The week-long event that began on April 7, features motivational talks, anti- drug exhibition, poster- drawing competition, poetry-reading competition, cloth-making contest and many other interesting activities.
Kuching District Education officer Akihito Nawawi and AADK Kuching district chief Sharifah Azimah Said Ismail were among those present.