Review effectiveness of educational, drug prevention programmes in schools – Lee
SIBU: The authorities may need to review and reevaluate educational and drug prevention programmes in schools to determine their effectiveness to rid schools of drug abuse.
Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation ( MCPF) senior vicechairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye made this suggestion in the wake of the disclosure by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) of rising number of drug users among students, with 1,256 detected in the first six months of this year.
“To me, it is very important when it involves schools as schools are supposed to be places to educate young people, to provide civic education and anti- drug education. Schools are supposed to instil in them ( students) the normal values to keep them away from drugs or social issues.
“But, if there are cases of student involvement (in drugs) despite the fact that the schools are organising anti- drug campaigns or education, I think the programmes may need to be reviewed by the authorities to see how effective their policies have been in helping to create a drug-free school.
“I am suggesting to all the authorities the need to review and re- evaluate their educational and drug prevention programmes in schools, and to see what extent they have achieved their objectives,” Lee told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.
AADK Prevention Division director Abdul Rahman Hamid was reported to have said the figure on student drug users was obtained through urine tests conducted in schools, and that these students were new users.
He was quoted as saying that the situation was still under control but nevertheless a serious issue because the number had increased compared to last year.
On this, Lee pointed out it has been a fact that the number of students involved in drugs is on the rise.
However, he believed it may not be a very alarming increase but it is certainly a figure that should be a cause for concern to all the school authorities.
He recalled in fact, through the random urine tests carried out some time ago, that a sizeable percentage of students involved in drugs was detected.
That aside, Lee is very conscious that on the need to look into the role of families.
“Parents play an important role to keep a good eye on the movement of their children. It is not only the responsibility of the school, but equally important is that the families need to work together.
“That is the reason why I always advocated the parent teachers-associations ( PTAs) to organise more of these activities in order to help to address this problem,” he added.
Towards this end, he stressed that it was high time for all the relevant parties to get involved in the fight against drugs.
“Basically, I think I would like to advocate the four principles, namely we must have a drugfree family; aim for a drugfree community, a drug- free workplace and make our schools drug-free.”