Nuusita Ashipala
OSHAKATI – The director of education in the Oshana region, Hileni Amukana, has warned learners to desist from alcohol and substance abuse. The warning comes after the director’s office received reports that learners from various schools are reporting for school under the influence of alcohol and drugs while some take drinking and smoking breaks between lessons.
“When the learners were interrogated, some admitted that they cannot go to school without smoking; some admitted that they cannot stay the whole day without smoking and therefore they sneak out to the bathroom to smoke while some cut the fence to leave the school,” the director said.
Amukana made the remarks during a meeting with some of the concerned learners, their parents and other stakeholders to mitigate strategies that will assist the learners to refrain from alcohol and drugs. Disappointingly, Amukana said young learners in grade eight between 14-20 years are also involved in the substance abuse.
Some of the learners have admitted to be addicts and are in need of help with some claiming that their parents also know of their addiction.
Narrating some of the examples from the reports her office received, the director said some learners were found with dagga and cigarettes at school. “Some learners were caught red-handed in possession of dagga, others were caught with boxes of Yes cigarettes of which some were still unused,” the director said.
In the same vein, the director also warned the learners against molestation of other children, particularly in the school bathrooms and urged parents to include molestation when they seek psychosocial support of the learners who are involved in drugs.
In a heart-to-heart address with the learners, the director told the learners that the drugs do not only affect those who are using them but affects the whole school.
She stressed that she is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind because even losing one child is losing one too many.
“My duty is to make sure that I protect every child in my work and make sure that the child is not only taught the content of the curriculum to pass the examination but also have good manners and values and good behaviour,” the director stressed.
The director also appealed to the learners and parents to make use of the police suggestion boxes to report those who are selling drugs. “What is happening in the schools is unacceptable, drugs have destroyed schools. Help us find the people who are selling you these drugs. Stop taking drugs, stop taking alcohol, you are destroying your own future,” stressed Amukana.
Amukana said the use of alcohol or substance abuse is prohibited from the school premises and once caught, a learner is liable to a fine of N$6 000 or two years imprisonment or both or a fine of N$12 000 or six years imprisonment or both.
*Nuusita Ashipala is an information officer at the MICT