Eight pupils caught with drugs at city secondaries

THE number of pupils caught with drugs in Dundee schools has dropped in the past three years.

Last year, eight pupils i n city secondaries were caught on school premises with drugs or legal highs.

All pupils were excluded and all cases were reported to Police Scotland.

Figures supplied to the Tele reveal the schools involved were Grove, Harris, Craigie High, Baldragon, Menzieshill, Braeview and Morgan.

The latest figures compare favourably to those in previous years.

In 2015 there were 12 pupils caught with drugs, while the year before the number was 14.

But in 2013, 22 pupils were found to have drugs in schools.

Information about the type of drugs seized was not made available to the Tele.

Dundee City Council’s convener of children and families services Stewart Hunter today praised the results but insisted “there was work still to do”.

He said: “The results show that the hard work that has gone on in schools addressing the drugs issue has been working.

“However, eight cases is still eight too many and we still have work to do.

“Schools have been very proactive in getting the message across about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and legal highs and the figures show that we are succeeding to some extent.

“That is all credit to staff who have made a very good job of making pupils aware of what can happen.

“We will continue with this work and my aim would be that eventually there are no cases of pupils being found with drugs in schools in Dundee.

“I am aware that in this day and age that might seem an unrealistic target but we will continue to work hard in this field.

“Our teachers and head teachers are doing a very good job of educating our young people and that work will definitely continue.”

A city council spokesman said: “Council guidelines are used to deal with any drug-related incident which takes place in a school.

“Pupils are warned of the dangers of drugs through a detailed programme aiming to tackle substance misuse and the damage it can cause to their lives.

“Schools also work closely with the police and voluntary agencies to deliver these messages and advice to young people.”