Punjab Minister for School Education Murad Raas has announced that the provincial government will be drug testing students under its campaign against drug use in educational institutes, a private media outlet reported Wednesday.
During a press conference, the minister said the reports of the tests will be shared with parents of the students of all public and private schools.
He said the government along with the health department and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had devised the plan to execute the campaign and collect the reports.
“Reports of the use of ice at educational institutes have been received by the authorities. The health department officials will visit all schools to review the situation and get affidavits from the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the district education authorities (DEAs) about making schools in their jurisdictions drug-free.”
The education minister added if any child was tested positive, an action would be taken against the CEO of that area.
He relayed that the Education Ministry had directed all the deputy commissioners of the province to shut down tobacco shops within a 500-yard radius of any educational institute and the government would implement the orders of the Supreme Court (SC) in this regard.