Two-day workshop

Sports, cultural activities proposed to discourage students from drugs

By Bureau report

PESHAWAR: The participants of a session on Thursday called for promoting sports and cultural activities in the universities to discourage the students’ tendencies to drugs and other unhealthy activities.

They were speaking at the first session of a two-day workshop arranged at the Governor’s House for prevention of extremism and use of drugs in the higher educational institutions in the province. It was arranged in collaboration with Higher Education Regulatory Authority (HERA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and National Counter-Terrorism Authority. The focal persons from both the private and public sector universities of KP and representatives of the Anti-Narcotics Force attended the event.

The HERA director programme gave a detailed presentation on the efforts put forth by HERA and the future plan for eradication of extremism and drug abuse among the youth.

The forum discussed the issues related to the use of drugs on the campuses and evaluated various options and a comprehensive work plan for curbing the abuse of drugs and extremism in the universities.

The participants proposed that seminars should be held periodically on topics such as inclusive educational climate, adverse effects of use of drugs and causes of violence for students’ awareness and public information.

The educational campaigns and cultural events demonstrating the common resolve of all segments of society so as to divert the energies of youth towards positive activities were suggested as well.

Muhammad Idrees Khan, Principal Secretary to Governor, reiterated the resolve of the KP Governor Shah Farman and said that eradication of drug abuse from the educational institutions was of paramount importance as healthy, prosperous and tolerant society was not possible without it.

He said teachers, besides imparting traditional education, could also play a very important role in informing the youths about the negative impacts of the drugs and extremism on our society and state.