Dr.Alausa Unveils New Drug-Abuse Policy as FG Moves to Protect Students

Dr.Alausa Unveils New Drug-Abuse Policy as FG Moves to Protect Students
All public-school teachers will be required to obtain licences from the TRCN
The ministry has also established a Substance Use Prevention Unit to oversee nationwide rollout

The Federal Government on Monday unveiled a comprehensive national policy framework aimed at combating drug and substance abuse in schools across the country, Eko Hot Blog reports.

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Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tunji Alausa, said the initiative represents a major shift toward implementation-driven reforms, noting that the ministry is adopting an 80 per cent implementation, 20 per cent policy development model in line with global standards.

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Alausa said Nigeria’s recent education reforms must now translate into measurable outcomes nationwide. He applauded the support of development partners, including UNESCO and UNICEF, for consistently backing Nigeria’s education sector.

According to him, the newly launched policies were crafted to strengthen existing structures and fill long-standing gaps.

“Policy is just 10 per cent of the work,” he said. “Implementation is the heart of what we do. Commissioners will drive this work at the state level while the Federal Government provides technical support and resources.”

He explained that the National Teachers’ Policy and its implementation guidelines were developed to enhance teacher quality, upgrade competencies, and expand professional development.

The minister disclosed that the government has accelerated the digitalisation of teacher training and will soon introduce a digital platform for continuous professional development.

Dr.Alausa Unveils New Drug-Abuse Policy as FG Moves to Protect Students

He added that all public-school teachers will be required to obtain licences from the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria to improve learning outcomes.

Alausa further highlighted the second document, the National Policy on Drug and Substance Abuse in Schools describing it as the first of its kind in the country. The policy, he said, seeks to curb the rising cases of drug abuse among secondary and tertiary students. While it provides counselling and behavioural support mechanisms, he stressed that repeat offenders would face strict sanctions.

“We must protect our youth. Addiction destroys lives, and President Bola Tinubu strongly believes in the capacity of Nigerians,” he said.

The Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, who spoke on behalf of state commissioners, pledged full implementation of the policies across all states. He noted that while the Federal Government sets the direction, execution lies with the states.

“Most of the implementation steps can easily be integrated into our 2025 project plans,” he said. “We will ensure every part of these policies is implemented. We are strategic, decisive, and deliberate.”

To reinforce the fight against drug abuse in schools, the Ministry of Education has begun revising the secondary-school curriculum to include drug-prevention lessons, with plans to extend the content to primary schools. The ministry has also established a Substance Use Prevention Unit to oversee nationwide rollout.

In partnership with the NDLEA, the ministry is introducing stand-alone awareness campaigns including lectures, competitions, and parent-focused outreach and will implement compulsory drug-integrity testing for new, returning, and randomly selected students in tertiary institutions.

The collaboration also links UBEC and TETFUND with the NDLEA Academy in Jos to train teachers and develop support systems aimed at reducing drug use and improving safety and learning outcomes at all levels of education.