Drugs, Tobacco in S Chools a Worry
Several schools are battling the growing concern of drugs and tobacco found on children at school.
This issue only became common and prevalent when schools resumed after the COVID-19 lockdown.
In a particular primary school in the Central Division, children as young as 10 years old would indicate they’ve seen marijuana or have been exposed to its illegal sale within their homes.
A head teacher who spoke to Shine a Light on the condition of not being identified, said the behavioural change among children was an indication of parental negligence.
“I asked the students, how many of you have tried marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, Year 5 students had their hands up,” the principal said.
“In one of the schools I taught, students were told to bring in pot plants for beautification, and the student brought in a marijuana pot plant.”
But it’s not only drugs and tobacco. Children are also found sketching nude images in the classroom.
There are young boys who attempt to touch the girl’s private area by sliding their hands inside the girl’s side dress pocket.
Some boys even touch the girl’s breasts. Teachers have also confiscated glue cans, marijuana smoking apparatus and tobacco (suki).
The head teacher has vast experience as an educator, teaching in numerous schools across Fiji.
In his years of teaching, he has seen a dramatic change in children’s attitude towards their peers, teachers and parents. It has gone from bad to worse, he said.
“In high school, students put tobacco in their underwear so that teachers cannot touch them,” he said.
“In some schools, students are buying tobacco from the market and taking it to school.”
And there’s the fear it will become an uncontrollable social issue contributing to a rise in crime and poverty, the principal said.
Questions sent to Police media officer Wame Bautolu on Tuesday remained unanswered.
When contacted by phone yesterday, he said their team was compiling the monthly statistics, which would be released next week.
Questions were also sent to the chief executive officer of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council (SAAC) of the Ministry of Education, Josua Naisele. They remain unanswered.
Questions sent to the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation also remain unanswered when this edition went to press.
CONFISCATED MARIJUANA APPARATUS
A Year 7 student was found with a bottle used as a bong – a devise used to smoke marijuana.
The head teacher said the young boy brought the bong with him when school reopened after COVID-19.
The young boy lives in a close-knit and heavily populated settlement. The settlement is mostly occupied by low- and middle-income families.
“The student’s behaviour changed when he came back after COVID. These are the things they’ve been doing late at night during the COVID-19 lockdown,” the principal said.
When contacted for a comment, the boy’s mother insisted her son was innocent.
She spoke on the condition of not being identified. She said her son was at home when students were caught smoking in school.
“When we (parents) saw the change in our son’s attitude, we asked him. He said it was the influence of his peers in school,” she said.
At home, the young boy is usually punished by his father. His mother defends him most times.
“I partially blame myself now, because I used to defend him back then when my husband smacked him,” she said.
The mother said her son never affiliated himself with other children in the settlement.
His routine never changes, the mother said. He has time for homework, chores and is not allowed to leave the house at night.
AN EDUCATOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Home is the problem, the head teacher said. Parents have neglected and forgotten their responsibilities.
“A father had sexually abused the daughter and the Police had to find
the school report and attendance register for the child. The child’s teacher has now been transferred to another school,” he said.
“Sometimes parents’ fight; the mother comes to school drunk to get the daughter but would be forced by her husband to bring the daughter back to school.
“Parents coming here fighting with teachers, while siding with their children even though the child has stolen $20 from the teacher’s purse.”
The head teacher said there was no set routine in the home and no family time.
Children are given phones and other gadgets to watch what they want.
“Mass media has abused the minds of little children, and the minds of Fijians in society. Cartoons that are coming in are adult cartoons.
“A mother told me that her child turned to her and said ‘you’re not my boss’.
“We are so much into children’s rights that we forget to talk about children’s responsibility. We have to speak of rights and responsibilities.”
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT
University of the South Pacific Psychology Discipline Coordinator Dr Annie Crookes said the longterm impact was that children may find comfort in consuming alcohol, taking tobacco and drugs.
“If the use of tobacco or drugs provides them with the emotional control or social power, they could not get otherwise, then they will continue to use and learn that this is a positive behaviour for them to survive in their social worlds,” she said.
“Similarly, with sexual imagery if they begin to learn that pornographic images are how sex ‘should’ be done and how to emotionally relate to others is through sexual acts or that girl’s bodies are just objects then they could take this learning into their relationships.”
Dr Crookes said how we respond to such cases was important.
Showing compassion and trying to understand the children’s perspective and needs are crucial.
“Punishing the child without talking to them openly about the situation is not going to work. Similarly judging the child and out casting them or shaming them for these behaviours will only make them worse as now they have nothing else but to do the behaviour, they were getting enjoyment out of.
“On a broader scale this means having more access to sex education as well as tobacco and drug use education (and not just from a ‘it is bad don’t do it’ or ‘you are bad’ perspective), and to have positive role models for relationships, sex and emotional intimacy, and positive health choices etc.”
Mass media has abused the minds of little children, and the minds of Fijians in society. Cartoons that are coming in are adult cartoons. School head teacher