Written By Gerald Gekara | |
There is no such thing as a mandatory drug test for admission to school, NACADA has warned.
In a statement signed by, NACADA said there was no law subjecting students to a mandatory drug test.
“The Authority wishes to, from the onset, clarify that it does not conduct any drug testing. We also wish to state that there is currently no law in the country making drug testing mandatory for learners.”
However, the authority reckoned that drug testing was only but one way of reducing drug abuse among learners.
“We further advise that even when conducted, drug testing should be part of a comprehensive intervention program and thus should not be used as a sole solution to the problem of alcohol and substance abuse in institutions of learning.”
Research has proven that drug testing does not work as a stand-alone intervention.
Similarly, drug testing is recommended as part of incident management and it should be within a licensed and accredited facility.
The requirement was put in place to quell cases of indiscipline among learners, which saw a sharp rise in school unrests.
NACADA urged school administrators to implement the National Guidelines for Alcohol and Substance Use Prevention and Management in Basic Education Institutions, 2021.
They provide a comprehensive evidence-based approach in responding to issues related to alcohol and drug abuse.
NACADA further urged the public to report any drug-related issue through a TOLL-FREE helpline 1192 which is available 24 hours.
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