Drugs is not only a health or discipline issue, but a multi-spectral issue for the nation, says the Ministry of Education permanent secretary, Selina Kuruleca.
She has called for a collective effort to combat the rippling impact of drugs on the learning environment and made a fervent plea to the public that there was a need for societal effort in addressing the rising issue.
“The whole nine-yard should collaborate, namely the Fiji Police Force and with social welfare to not only assist the child, but to also get to the bottom of the background of the child and the type of family they came from,” Ms Kuruleca said.
“When cases like this come to us, we have to work with the police, and we also ensure that parents are part of the conversation.
“Children spend eight hours at school, the rest of the 16 hours they spend with parents. Yes, it can be argued that it’s working hours, but we are parents in all of this, and we also need to make sure that we support our children.
“We need to keep our children engaged, and we also need to follow the letter of the law.
“There’s an old saying, an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. If you don’t keep children engaged, of course they’ll think about mischief.”
Ms Kuruleca said it’s about time that people should change their perspective and think about what role they could play in combating the issue.
“If everyone is drugged up all the time, who’s going to look after us and the children, how are we going to look after each other?
“So we need to look beyond the fact that it is not only a problem for the police, but a societal issue as well that we must play an active role in asking ourselves and each other what we can do.”
