Three students from a well-known school in Tailevu have been taken in for questioning by the police on suspicion of drug use on school grounds, confirmed Assistant Commissioner of Police Livai Driu. The students were brought in by teachers weeks after the alleged incident, and their parents were subsequently contacted.
The situation has raised significant concern among parents, prompting one to urge the government to investigate what is increasingly viewed as a troubling trend within the school system. Speaking anonymously for the safety of his child, the parent revealed that during a recent Parent and Teachers Association meeting, it was disclosed that some students were reportedly found intoxicated on methamphetamine while on school premises.
Parents learned that these students were seen engaging in erratic behavior, including dancing in the dormitory. One parent recounted having spent a night at a nearby village overlooking the school, observing how illegal substances were potentially smuggled onto campus.
This individual noted the lack of security, stating that vehicles were freely allowed to enter and exit the school grounds at all hours without any checks. He claimed to have witnessed senior students exiting to meet vehicles and then returning to their dormitories. Furthermore, he described an incident in which a parent discovered students accessing a wooden chest containing drug paraphernalia and cash.
Concerns were also raised about the role of teachers, as this parent alleged that educators often encouraged students to prepare kava during weekends. He expressed deep worry about whether teachers could be trusted with the supervision of their children.
“As parents, we rely on the school and teachers to care for our kids,” he stated. “With these incidents being reported, it’s very concerning for us, especially since we live far from the school.”
In a related context, the Pacific Recycling Foundation raised alarms in August regarding the discovery of needles and syringes in schools where they conduct recycling programs.