(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) –Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha said that a special program will be implemented to prevent students from getting addicted to drugs and to seize drugs trafficking into schools.
The Minister made this disclosure at an event held to recognize the alumni, school development society, teachers of Colombo D. S. Senanayake Vidyalaya, who have supported to equip the school with suitable facilities for the sustainable development of the future technology world
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister said he will instruct the authorities at schools to restart the inspection of children’s school bags when they enter the school in the morning.
Especially in the urban environment, I hope that School Development Societies, parents, former students and student leaders will do the same thing again as they once checked the bags of children coming to school in the morning. This does not happen now. So drugs can come to children as candy or some other way,” he said.
“Therefore, we hope to carry out these inspections through all the provincial directors by next week through a circular.”
“These drugs are handled very ingeniously. Most people don’t know about this. It is clear in the Dangerous Drugs Act that if caught with more than two grams of heroin, the punishment will be life imprisonment.”
The Education Minister said the ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) is the latest drug arrived in the country. Since there is no laws to include ‘ice’, the outdated laws must be amended to deal with new drugs and the Attorney General’s Department is currently expediting the work on drafting new laws.
“In the past, we have seen through the media that the Navy and the police had seized large quantities of heroin at sea. But a program is in operation to bring these drugs to the school children in very subtle ways. We must act on this immediately. Although a number of measures are currently being implemented, we must enter into this more strictly than that. If this goes to the north side of Colombo, to Kolonnawa area, the situation can be more dangerous. Therefore, we must protect our school children.”
The Minister said action will be taken going beyond traditional methods such as appointing counseling teachers to direct the attention of the parents as well as the school community who were once vigilant due to the fear of bombs during the conflict era.
He added that the Ministry, paying very close attention, plans to call a zoom meeting by next week and issue circulars which are already in place and raise awareness about foods and drugs.
“In this regard, I expect to take more positive steps in the future,” said the Minister.
On this occasion, National School Director Kithsiri Liyanagama, Principal of D.S. Senanayake College Prasanna Udumuhandiram and school officials participated.
