The Sindh government has announced a major initiative to address the increasing drug use in educational institutions by conducting medical screenings for students. The screenings will begin in public colleges across Sindh, with a formal notification already issued to implement the measure.
A notification issued by Secretary of College Education Asif Ikram has announced the formation of a three-member committee within the College Education Department. This committee will consist of the Director General of Colleges Sindh, the Regional Director of the respective district, and the principal of the concerned college.
The notification details the committee’s Terms of Reference (TORs), which empower the medical screening team to carry out surprise visits to any public college. The College Education Department’s team will support the medical screening team, which is authorized to perform medical tests on any student at the college.
The Director of General Colleges Sindh, Dr. Naveed Rabb, said, “Health department teams will carry out the medical screenings. Discussions are underway with the health department to finalize the criteria for selecting colleges and the parameters for student medical screenings.”
Dr. Naveed stated that strategies to motivate students to participate in medical screenings are still being developed. Additionally, he disclosed that the Sindh government’s Anti-Narcotics Department and other pertinent agencies are collaborating to eradicate this scourge from educational institutions.
Furthermore, the notification specifies that educational institutions will conduct seminars, workshops, and awareness sessions. The objective of these initiatives is to inform students about the detrimental consequences of substance use and its influence on their education and future.
