- --=======15445793====== Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 Source: East African Standard, The (Kenya) Copyright: 2003 The East African Standard Contact: http://www.eastandard.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1743 Author: Evelyn Kwamboka, Daniel Nyassy And Patrick Beja TEACHERS VOW TO FIGHT DRUGS NAIROBI-The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association has resolved to support and commit itself to make learning institutions drug free zones. The heads of schools also recommended that sponsors of national educational events should be rejected if they are promoting the use of drugs. This was said during the head teachers' national annual conference in Mombasa. Over 3,500 heads of schools and key ministry officials attended the meeting. In his keynote speech on drug abuse among students, Prof Peter Odhiambo said there are 400,000 secondary school students who were already addicted to drugs. Odhiambo, who is associated with the National Agency on the Campaign Against Drugs (Nacada), said the number of girls abusing drugs was also growing at an alarming rate. "Out of the 400,000 secondary school students abusing drugs, 16,000 are girls," he said. He said students have wrong beliefs that when they take drugs, their performance would be enhanced. Nacada national co-ordinator, Joseph Kaguthi, said the agency has allocated Sh1.8 million in the fight against drugs in secondary schools. Kaguthi said drug barons were targeting those aged between 15 and 21 years, mainly secondary school students. "Every year, drug barons get Sh400 million from drugs sold in Kenya," he said. The association's chairman, Mr Peterson Muthathai, said the association will assist its members to strengthen guidance and counselling departments to achieve desirable discipline in line with children's rights. Due to the increasing number of strikes in schools, the teachers resolved that head teachers, teachers, school property and students be insured. He said that a lot of property has been lost due to strikes in schools. Muthathai said the current insurance policy on vehicles was not adequate as it does not cover passengers. He said both the Minister and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education have shown great interest in giving schools a better cover. - --=======15445793====== Content-Disposition: inline - --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.493 / Virus Database: 292 - Release Date: 6/25/2003 - --=======15445793=======-- - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin