The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has thrown his weight behind a policy that would make drug integrity tests compulsory for students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, describing the initiative as a crucial step in safeguarding the nation’s youth and educational future.
Dr. Alausa made this known during a meeting with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), held in Abuja.
The engagement focused on ways to tackle the increasing rate of drug abuse among young Nigerians, particularly within the school system.
According to the minister, the government is left with no choice but to take bold action. “We have to do it. We do not have a choice. At least, we’ll start with tertiary institutions—fresh and returning students—as well as random testing,” he stated.
The NDLEA boss had earlier presented a comprehensive proposal that includes a three-tiered approach: integrating modern drug education into school curricula, introducing standalone drug abuse prevention programmes in secondary schools, and implementing mandatory drug testing in tertiary institutions.
Marwa highlighted the scale of the drug crisis in the country, linking it to a range of criminal activities, including terrorism and kidnapping.
He disclosed that over 40,000 drug-related arrests had been made, and more than 5,500 metric tons of illicit substances seized in just two years.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” he emphasized.
In response, the Education Minister acknowledged the widespread impact of substance abuse on learning outcomes, noting that drug use among students hinders academic performance and future prospects.
“When the youths get into drugs, they won’t go to school, and even when they do, they’re not getting a functional education,” Dr. Alausa said. “At the end of the day, their critical thinking becomes impaired, they make poor life decisions, and many become unemployable. It creates a vicious cycle.”
To further institutionalize the efforts, Dr. Alausa announced the establishment of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the Ministry of Education. He also revealed ongoing efforts to review the secondary school curriculum to integrate drug education and hinted at cascading such initiatives down to the primary school level.
“We’re currently working on a revised curriculum for secondary schools. We’ll find a way to incorporate similar awareness programmes into primary education too,” he said. “We also agree on the need for ongoing, stand-alone school-based programmes to educate our students.”
Dr. Alausa also committed to forming an inter-ministerial technical working group with the NDLEA and collaborating with agencies like UBEC and TETFUND to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos.
