The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has given his support to the introduction of compulsory and random drug integrity tests for students across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The endorsement followed a meeting on Wednesday in Abuja with Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd), Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The discussion focused on strategies to tackle substance abuse among students nationwide.
In a statement released by the NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the minister also approved a review of the secondary school curriculum to include updated drug education, alongside plans to establish an inter-ministerial working group between the Ministry of Education and the NDLEA.
Babafemi explained that Marwa proposed a three-pronged approach: revising drug education content in schools, introducing dedicated drug abuse prevention programmes in secondary schools, and implementing drug testing policies for tertiary institutions. This testing would apply to new students, returning students, and include random sampling.
Marwa described the drug problem as a serious threat to national security and youth development, linking substance abuse to criminal activities such as terrorism and banditry. He revealed that the NDLEA had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tonnes of drugs over the past two years.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” he said.
Responding, Dr Alausa acknowledged the urgency of the situation, noting the detrimental effects of drug use on education and employability.
“When youths get into drugs, they won’t attend school, and even when they do, they are not receiving a functional education,” he said. “Their critical thinking declines and their ability to make informed decisions is significantly impaired. Ultimately, they become unemployable, perpetuating a vicious cycle.”
The minister confirmed that drug testing would commence for fresh and returning tertiary students.
“We have to do it. We do not have a choice,” he stressed.
Dr Alausa also announced the creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the Ministry of Education and reaffirmed ongoing efforts to revise the secondary school curriculum to address substance abuse more effectively.
He added: “I have suggested forming a technical, inter-ministerial working group between our ministry and the NDLEA. We are developing the new curriculum for secondary schools and will seek ways to integrate it into primary schools as well. We must also design continuous drug prevention programmes to cascade through the education system.”
Furthermore, the minister pledged to collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
