The Federal Government has introduced stringent new measures to combat drug and substance abuse in secondary schools, including mandatory drug testing for students and temporary suspension for those who repeatedly test positive after undergoing treatment and rehabilitation procedures.
Under the new policy, all newly admitted students in secondary schools will be subjected to compulsory drug integrity tests at the point of entry.
The measures are contained in the National Implementation Guidelines Against Drug and Substance Use in Schools in Nigeria for secondary schools.
The guideline outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at reducing the growing prevalence of substance abuse among students and creating safer learning environments across schools nationwide.
According to the document, the policy is designed to “create a conducive environment for teaching and learning in the institutions by reducing the negative effect substance abuse has on the mental health and academic performance of students/learners.
