Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Former drug users encourage students to stay away from drugs

Ex-convicts who are former drug users gave confessions about dangers of using drugs and alcohol to a number of government schools students at the GSS ground.

Botswana Institute of Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders which is comprised of former drug users partnered with Ministry of Education to mobilize schools in attempt to sensitize pupils about dangers of drugs and alcohol.

BIRRO, Director Mothei Sejakgomo, stated that they partnered with the Ministry after they became aware that the use of drugs and alcohol is the major contributor to declining school results.

He said the match which brought government schools together was meant to sensitize students about the dangers of alcohol and drug use.

A 14-year-old young man who didn’t want to be identified admitted to be having difficulty in quitting drugs after using them while he was at primary school. He said he wanted to be confirmed as a drug user and had failed to quit.

However a female student at Maoka Junior Secondary School, Gofaone Zankere, advised other student to desist from using drugs. She advised her peers to desist from using drugs.

The Botswana Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey has revealed that at least one in every 20 Botswana teenagers uses cocaine.

The survey conducted last year in 145 schools from the Ministry of Education and Skills Development regions, showed that youth got involved in the use of drugs from a young age.

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