KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday announced that the children receiving education in government and private institutes will have to pass a mandatory drug test before their admission. The decision was taken in order to protect children from increasing drug menace.
He was presiding over a meeting regarding drug abuse in educational institutions all over the province. The meeting was attended by Minister Education Jam Mehtab Dahar, Minister Health Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Education Iqbal Durani, Secretary Health Dr Fazal Pechuho and others.
The chief minister said that some alarming reports have been received that the students are using drugs in some of the leading universities in the country. He said it becomes our collective responsibility to protect our children from the menace of drugs.
The CM constituted a committee comprising minister for health, minister education, secretary education and secretary health for drafting a law to make drug testing mandatory for all students of secondary to higher secondary level.
Under the law, it will be mandatory for every student to qualify the test.
The CM said that he expects the cooperation of the parents in achieving this task. He also assured to release the required funds for the tests as and when required.