Teachers are required by law to report any form of substance abuse in schools - Burchell

Permanent Secretary for Education Alison Burchell has stated that teachers are required by law to report any form of abuse in schools however she also stressed that they do not want to expel students found with drugs.

1,634 cases of drugs and substance abuse in schools was recorded by the National Substance Abuse and Advisory Council last year.

There were 417 cases recorded in primary schools and 1,217 cases recorded in secondary schools.

Speaking at the launch of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at Gospel High School in Suva, Burchell says they will provide counseling to students found involved in drug related activities.

Burchell adds that at times you have to be cruel to be kind and it is important that teachers report such drug related incidents to the police.

Burchell highlighted that drugs are not made in schools but brought into schools and that is a community problem.

This comes after it was highlighted that police have received information regarding school teachers solving drug related matters internally and allegedly failing to report the matter to Police.

Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho earlier expressed concerns saying the practice is serious, and failure to report drug related incidents will result in a separate investigation for the school’s administrator and the teacher that fails to report.

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