NAIROBI,Kenya, July 9 – An increasing number of learners in both primary and secondary school are said to be abusing drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, Khat (miraa) and bhang amidst safety and health concerns in institutions of learning.
These substances according to the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) have permeated almost every facet of the children’s life not only in school but also while at home, with statistics reporting increased exposure from parents.
Education Cabinet Secretary professor George Magoha during the launch of the National Guidelines for Alcohol and Substance use Prevention and Management in Basic Education institutions pointed an accusing finger at parents saying that they have abdicated their role in ensuring children live in a drug free environment.
“A child will not do what you say, a child will do what you do,” said Magoha who further stated that, “there is need for the parents of the children first of all to accept that the are squarely responsible for what is happening with their children as far as alcohol and drug abuse is concerned in the majority of cases,”
Three key surveys conducted by NACADA have painted a grim picture on the extent of substance abuse in institutions of learning and among the general populace.
A national survey conducted in 2017 of the general populace revealed that alcohol is the most abused substance with 12.2 percent of persons aged between 15 and 65 being active users.
It is also said to contribute to the highest burden of substance use disorders with 10.4 percent of the population aged between 15 and 65 percent being addicted to it.
Tobacco is said to be the next threat, with a prevalence rate of 8.3 percent, miraa at 4.1 percent and cannabis at 1.0 percent.
In 2016, a similar survey, exclusively on secondary schools revealed that 23.4 percent of the students have used alcohol, 17.0 percent used miraa, 16.1 percent used prescription drugs, 14.4 tobacco, 1.2 percent heroin, 7.5 percent cannabis and 1.1 percent of students have used cocaine.
In 2019 yet another survey in primary schools established a dire situation.
The report according to interior principal secretary Dr. Karanja Kibicho revealed that 20.2 percent of primary school pupils had used at least one drug or substance of abuse in their lifetime. In addition,the report outlined that the average lowest age of onset to drugs and substance abuse is four years and the median age of initiation is 11 years.
“Further, the primary school survey findings pointed to the role of adults in children initiation to drug use as 29 percent of the pupils reported that they get drugs from shops or kiosks near their schools, 26 percent from bars near schools and 14 percent from school workers. On this, my Ministry is regularly conducting compliance checks to ensure that there are no alcohol selling premises near institutions of learning for persons below the age of eighteen. In addition, Law Enforcement Officers are well briefed on stamping out under-age drinking as stipulated in the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act of 2010,” said Kibicho.
In a bid to combat the vice in primary and secondary school, the report has advocated the need to strengthen life skills to promote abstinence and enforcing measures towards lowering access and availability of drugs and substances of abuse to school- going children.
The new guidelines also seek to provide a framework to guide interventions on alcohol and substance use prevention and management in basic education institutions. Teacher will play an active role in ensuring these substances are not within school premises at the same time respond appropriately to learners with substance use challenges.
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