Fight against use of drugs

School for elite conducts dope test on teachers, other staff

By Waseem Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: An elite private school located in a posh sector of Islamabad has started conducting dope test on teachers and staff members in a move aimed at fighting the menace of drug use in schools.

The Pakistan’s parliament is in the process of formulating a law to enable educational institutions to conduct such tests to curb the growing trend of drug use in Islamabad schools.

Earlier it was revealed in a report presented before a Senate standing committee that up to 53 percent students of large private schools in Islamabad were addicted to drugs.

However, some teachers of the Froebel’s International School have complained of discrimination and disrespect during the process of dope test.

“I was sitting in my office when I received a call from administration asking us to an emergency meeting at the school hall after the classes. When I reached there, I saw dozens of teachers standing there along with security guards and sanitary staff in a big room,” complained a teacher at the school who wished to remain anonymous.

He said none of the academic in-charges like principal or heads of departments were present there while the whole process was being supervised by strangers led by schools security in-charge.

“We were shocked to learn that the team of a private lab was there to collect our urine samples to test them for drugs. It was such a huge embarrassment for the teachers in front of other staff as if they were criminals,” he added.

He said the teachers felt so humiliated that a couple of teachers aged over 60 years cried on their way back home. “We are respected professionals who do not deserved to be humiliated this way. If they had suspicions on some of us they should have identified those and subjected them to test instead of making all of us feel like suspects,” he said.

The administration lied to teacher while calling them up for the meeting as they were told that an academic meeting will take place, the teacher said. “Upon our protest for this sudden activity, we were told that it was being done on the orders of the Supreme Court and the Government of Pakistan while we later learned that no such orders were issued by any court or government department.”

The teachers said the menace of drug must be taken seriously but the respect of teachers should also be ensured while taking precautionary measures. “They did not subject students to dope test as they are they clients who pay high fees but poor teachers were made to look suspicious as they knew it is hard to find job in private sector,” he added.

On the other hand, the head of Human Resource at the School Muhammad Anis claimed that all employees of the school went through the test which was conducted as precautionary measure against the drug use in schools. “Perhaps we should have not kept the teachers and the sanitary staff in the same room for tests, but overall the tests were conducted across the board, there was no discrimination against anyone,” he said, adding that he had also been subjected to dope test.

Anis said the school took the lead to introduce the test for its employees to enable the student to get education in a safe environment. He said the female staff will be included in test in next round. Anis also denied that the employees were deceived about the directions of the apex court or government.

To a question as to why were the teachers not informed about the test in advance, he tried to justify it saying that it was all done to avoid anyone missing the test, and also the institute did not want to create panic among the teachers.

However, he categorically denied that there were reports of drug use in his school or there was any suspicion on any staff member.

He said the results of test are still awaited. Anis admitted the practice made teachers uncomfortable saying that next time more care will be taken during the process to ensure teachers do not feel embarrassed.

The problem of drug in Islamabad school was highlighted first in October 2016 in Senate Standing Committee on Interior. A shocking report presented before the Senate committee revealed that up to 53 per cent students of large private schools in Islamabad were addicted to drugs.

The report prepared by a non-government organisation (NGO) stated that 44 to 53 percent students of large private schools in the federal capital were addicted to various kinds of drugs. The addicts are either provided intoxicants by their fellows or teachers, which added to the astonishment of the committee members.

Dr Maria Sultan, Director General of South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), who attend the meeting as special invitee had told the audience that: “The average age of students in the private schools, in which nearly 44 to 53 percent of pupils are taking either artificial or hard drugs or were addicted to heroin, is in the age groups 12-16 and 16-19.”

Taking notice of the report the committee next year decided to introduce legislation for conducting dope/ medical tests in educational institutions to keep a check and control over the unabated rise in demand of drugs among students. The legislation is still in process but the Chairman of the parliamentary panel Senator Rehman Malik told The News that government must combat the problem on war-footing.

“Apart from the NGO report, we have received numerous complaints about the use of sophisticated drugs in elite schools of Islamabad,” he confirmed.

He said the Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF), Islamabad Police and the District Administration has been advised to chalk out a strategy to control the problem in government and private education institutions.

He, however, said that the Senate committee did not recommend dope test for teachers but educational authorities were asked to keep an eye on surroundings of the schools and their security guards to check any suspicious activity.

“Teachers could be tested only if there are strong suspicions against them,” said Malik who also served in past as federal interior minister.

He said there should not be discrimination against anyone and all schools should be subjected to scrutiny instead of only one institution.

He said the problem of drug is rising in school as the drug is imported from Afghanistan and the Far East. “First it was Hashish and heroine and now ICE is also being used in elite parties and some education institutions of Islamabad which is a matter of great concern for us,” the Senate committee chairman said. Another member of the Senate panel Senator Javed Abbasi also expressed concern over rising drug use in educational institutions. He said the Senate panel on Interior had asked the district administration to take urgent action to tackle the issue.

He said there should not be discrimination against any group while taking action against drug use. “Teachers are important part of society and they deserved utmost respect. Teachers should not be dealt with in humiliating way while taking action to curb drug use in schools,” he stressed.

Hasnat Qureshi, the Chairman of Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), the government body which deal with private schools said there are general instructions for school to fight against drug addiction.

“We did not give specific directions to any institution to conduct dope test but we asked them to be vigilant against the problem of drug use,” he said.

He said the dope test cannot be conducted on students as yet the bill has not been passed by Parliament in this regard. However, the institution can test their employees to ensure there is no supply of drugs in schools, he said.