06 Mar 2018

Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Mr Moiseraele Goya says the drug sales and use in government schools is high and nationwide but more common in major urban centres.

Mr Goya said cannabis was still the most prevalent drug in schools, and recently there had been an increase in the use of cannabis particularly in junior and senior secondary schools.

He said this in response to a question in Parliament from the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central, Dr Phenyo Butale on March 5.

The assistant minister further said community drug suppliers recruit students to supply drugs in schools, adding that there had also been cases of street vendors adjacent to schools selling drugs to students.

He however indicated that the ministry’s policy was to refer all identified cases to the police to pursue the unscrupulous members of the society.

Mr Goya stated that his ministry was capacitating teachers, school managers and PTA’s to empower them to be able to identify drugs and carry out screening and carry out basic counseling of drug in the users and support crisis management in relation to drug use.

Some teachers and regional officers, he said had undergone specialist training and were accredited addiction professionals.

“Our schools are also working in partnership with local hospitals, police narcotics department and NGOs that provide drug and substance awareness during boot camps,” he said.

He further said his ministry was also running camps dedicated to assist learners who had become addicted to some drugs and substances during school calendar holidays.

MP Butale wanted the minister to apprise the House on the situation of drug use and sales in government schools and the intervention measures taken to arrest the situation. ENDS