By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has endorsed the introduction of compulsory and random drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions nationwide.
The decision came after a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), where both parties discussed strategies to tackle substance abuse among students.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the minister also approved a review of the secondary school curriculum to include updated drug education. He further pledged to establish an inter-ministerial working group with the NDLEA to advance the initiative.
Babafemi explained that Marwa proposed a three-pronged strategy: revising drug education content in schools, introducing stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in secondary schools, and implementing drug testing policies in tertiary institutions for both new and returning students, as well as through random testing.Marwa described drug abuse as a serious threat to national security and youth development, linking it to crimes such as terrorism and banditry.
He revealed that the agency had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tonnes of illicit substances in the past two years.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” Marwa said.
In response, Alausa stressed the urgency of addressing drug abuse among young people. “When youths get into drugs, they stop attending school or fail to receive a functional education. Their critical thinking declines, their decision-making suffers, and ultimately, they become unemployable, perpetuating a vicious cycle of dysfunction,” he said.
Alausa confirmed that drug tests would be conducted for both new and returning students in tertiary institutions. “We have to implement this policy. We will start with tertiary institutions, conducting tests for fresh and returning students, as well as random checks,” he affirmed.
He also announced the establishment of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the ministry and confirmed that work was underway to revise the secondary school curriculum to include enhanced drug education.“I propose forming a technical, inter-ministerial working group between our ministry and the NDLEA.
We are currently reviewing the secondary school curriculum, and this revision will cascade to primary schools as well. We must incorporate comprehensive drug education into both primary and secondary school curricula,” Alausa said.
The minister further pledged to collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
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