A national survey conducted by National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse shows worrying rising trend of drug abuse among school-going children. The survey’s result released yesterday was conducted in June 2018.
The survey conducted in June 2018, on the Status of Drugs and Substance Abuse among School Pupils in Kenya, revealed that over 20 percent of primary school pupils have used drugs or related substance abuse in their life.
Surprisingly, 16.9 percent of primary school pupils are currently on drugs. These pupils are ether abusing one drug or combining many substances.
It further disclosed that 3.2 percent of primary school pupils are currently using tobacco, 2.6 percent ingest alcohol, while 2.3 percent consume miraa.
According to NACADA, the common sources of drugs and substance of abuse mentioned by students include kiosks or shops near their schools. Bars closer to the institutions were also listed as sources at 25.7 percent while drugs from friends were at 19.3 percent.
Moreover, the pupils get drugs from school workers at 13.6 percent. Other pupils indicated that they buy drugs from their fellows' pupils.
The board’s chair Prof. Mabel Imbuga called for a comprehensive collaborative approach to arrest the unwanted emerging trend of unrest in learning institutions.
In an attempt to tame rowdiness and students' unrest in school, the education CS Prof. George Magoha hinted at introducing blood and canning. Speaking at St Joseph's Nyabururu Primary School in Kisii County on Thursday, January 28, Mogoha said that some students were involved in drug peddling.
"We shall soon start random visits to schools to conduct blood tests and any student who shall test positive will be expelled," Magoha declared.
Another report presented to parliament by NACADA indicated that little children including 4-years old were on drugs.
Kituri High School, St Luke's Boy's High School and Kimulot Boys High School are some of the schools whose dormitories were razzed down by fire a few weeks after the students resumed school from a long break.
