Nigeria's Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has expressed support for a new policy that would introduce compulsory and random drug tests for students in tertiary institutions.
The proposal comes after a meeting between the Minister and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.).
The new policy, if implemented, would involve:
* Mandatory drug testing for both fresh and returning students.
* Random testing for all students throughout their time at the institution.
Dr. Alausa stated that the measure is necessary to combat the rising issue of substance abuse among young people, which he believes negatively impacts their ability to get a functional education, reduces their critical thinking skills, and makes them unemployable in the future.
He emphasized that the government "do not have a choice" but to act.
In addition to drug testing, the Ministry of Education and the NDLEA have also agreed to review the current secondary school curriculum to include updated drug education.
An inter-ministerial working group is also being formed to develop and implement these initiatives.
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