Campaign Against Youth Drug Use (LK0028)

Change behaviour of school children to say “No” to Drugs, Tobacco, Alcohol and other Substances by 2020
1st March 2019 – 31st August 2021
Lead implementing agency/actor Ministry in charge of Child Affairs, Ministry in charge of Education
Commitment description
What is the public problem that the commitment will address? Use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco by school children in both urban and rural areas has been a significant concern for well over a decade particularly because it is a sensitive age where such use can lead to long-term addictions. The main reasons for children becoming vulnerable to use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco is peer pressure or lack of knowledge or guidance about their adverse consequences. Many children who have engaged in drug use were found to have dropped out from school. There are other adverse social and health issues affecting children with drug-use behaviours.
What is the commitment? The Ministries in charge of Child Affairs and Education in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat will establish and strengthen School Drug Prevention Committees in 6400 secondary schools. The School Drug Prevention Committees composed by school children, parents and teachers will be an effective decision making forum for drug prevention activities. Other strategies to discourage drug and other substance use by children will be implemented through Rural Committees and religious organisations. A proper mechanism will be in place to monitor the School Drug Prevention Programme. An Annual Summit will be held to review the School Drug Prevention Programme and share best practices.
How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem? This commitment will use creative strategies to involve school children as active participants in drug prevention activities. They will be empowered to take informed decisions and be self-motivated to change any drug use behaviours. Participation of communities in Rural Committees will work towards creating drug-free environments in their villages. Equipped with a proper understanding of the risks and dangers of drugs and a physical environment to support drug prevention, the probability of children engaging in drug-user behaviours will be minimised.
Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? This commitment promotes public participation and transparency as citizens, including school children, parents, teachers and communities, get involved in implementing and monitoring strategies for drug prevention.
Additional information The commitment will strengthen the national programme for drug prevention conducted by the Presidential Secretariat and the policies and programmes for protection of children.
Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable Start Date: End Date:
1. School Drug Prevention Committees will be established and strengthened in 6400 secondary schools to implement strategies to discourage use of drugs among school children. March 2019 June 2019
2. Strategies will be implemented through Rural Committees to discourage drug use by children outside school premises. May 2019 August 2019
3. Drug prevention activities for children will be implemented through the intervention of religious leaders and religious places. September 2019 November 2019
4. The School Drug Prevention Programme will be monitored. March 2019 August, 2021
5. An Annual Summit will be held to review the School Drug Prevention Programme and share best practices. September, 2019 September, 2020

5. Child Substance Abuse

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to Open Government: Yes

Potential Impact: Minor

Completion: Not Started

In February 2021, the Ministry of Education held discussions with the Ministry of Public Security on launching a School Drug Prevention Program. [41] Given a context in which substance abuse at schools is increasingly common, ^[42] this commitment planned to establish drug prevention committees at schools, composed of teachers, students, and parents. There is no evidence that this program has yet been launched or that the number of school drug prevention committees saw a marked increase compared to the number that existed prior to the implementation period.