[Source: Ministry of Education FIJI/ Facebook]

Permanent Secretary for Education Selina Kuruleca addressed stakeholders at the first-ever Drugs and Social Issues Taskforce meeting.

The meeting, supported by UNICEF, was held specifically to target drugs and other related social problems in schools.

Kuruleca says our children are the future leaders, and we must ensure they are protected and educated well to make good decisions.

The PS says the question is often asked as to why children take drugs.

Kuruleca says there are various reasons: some due to peer pressure, some out of curiosity, some use drugs as a coping technique to mask emotional pain, and some follow role models in their communities.

She stresses that these reasons can be a platform for everyone to analyze and diagnose the root causes and discuss possible strategies to address the drug use problem.

She also told the Taskforce that it is important to protect our children from this drug scourge and the related health and social issues.