[Source: Supplied]

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro is urging parents and teachers to take vital steps in combating the issue of drugs in schools.

Radrodro says the government has enforced an in-house policy that will be used when dealing with drugs in schools.

He stresses that if any student is found with drugs, they are referred to the National Substance Abuse Advisor Council.

“And I think in the last calendar year, over 3,000 students were referred from school to the National Substance Abuse Advisor Council, and that is the current policy that is currently existing in school.”

Radrodro adds that discussion is currently underway about instilling drug testing kits in schools.

He says that teachers play a vital role in ensuring the safety of students in school.

“I can just give them a reminder to the schools, to the students, to the teachers, to stakeholders, and parents that we all have a responsibility – an important responsibility – to play to ensure that we keep drugs away from our school system, involving students, maybe teachers, and other stakeholders.”

Meanwhile Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Chair Pravesh Sharma says that teachers need to undergo capacity-building training to enhance their knowledge on how to respond to students with problems of drug addiction, disciplinary procedures, and counseling students found with drugs in the classroom.

Sharma says in light of skyrocketing cases of drugs infiltrating our school system, and new HIV cases, all stakeholders should take collective responsibility in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our teachers.

Sharma says the state needs to invest in its teachers by not just giving them resources but by training them to deal with crisis management in classrooms.