The general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union, Muniappa Gounder, is calling on school administrations to carry out spot checks as part of a thorough strategy to combat illicit drug use among students. He highlighted the need for vigilance and urged parents to actively monitor what their children are bringing to school.
Gounder’s remarks came in response to an incident last week where several primary school students were reported to police for allegedly smoking marijuana. “Parents need to check what their children are taking to school,” Gounder stated. He advocated for regular spot checks to ensure comprehensive scrutiny of students and their belongings, which would help identify prohibited items and instill a sense of accountability regarding the consequences of bringing such items to school.
He expressed concern over the rising trend of drug-related incidents, remarking, “There are so many cases, yet nothing significant is being done. Spot checks are crucial in this fight.” Gounder also called for greater participation from local law enforcement to enhance drug awareness within schools. “Disciplined forces should actively patrol schools to educate students about the dangers of drug use,” he emphasized.
He underlined that drug awareness should not be confined to a single week but should be an ongoing initiative. Gounder stressed the importance of education in informing children about the detrimental effects of drugs, asserting that this should be a top priority for both schools and communities.
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