Four primary school students were reportedly found smoking marijuana at an athletics meet and have since received counseling. Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations Livai Driu confirmed this information yesterday, emphasizing the importance of parents and guardians engaging in ongoing discussions about the serious consequences of drug use with their children.
The incident occurred when the four students were discovered with smoking devices in a washroom, leading venue security to involve the police. ACP Driu stated that the students’ parents were notified, and the young individuals were counseled regarding the implications of their actions.
He urged parents and guardians to consistently provide guidance, as children are often in experimental phases of their lives. Without sufficient parental oversight, children might seek advice from unreliable sources that do not prioritize their well-being, potentially steering them off course in life.
In light of these events, Muniappa Goundar, the general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union, has called for an increase in the number of school counselors. He expressed concern over the incident, underlining that counselors play a vital role in addressing not just academic issues but also behavioral development and decision-making for children.
Goundar stressed the need for counselors in every school, pointing out that with only one counselor per division, the workload is overwhelming. He advocated for a comprehensive understanding of drug impacts to be integrated into the school curriculum, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues from a broader educational perspective.