School Health, Safety and Learner Enrichment Directorate within the Eastern Cape Department of Education recently raised awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking by promoting action in preventing drug use and drug-related crimes in Sarah Baartman Education District schools.

According to Pam Gxuluwe who is the Director for School Health Safety and Learner Enrichment one of the responsibilities of the Department is to rescue learners while time and resources still allow so that their safety and security is taken care of through the said programme.

"There are many aspects that contribute to these learners taking drugs and alcohol, you will find that many are facing challenges such as peer pressure, dire home environments and self-esteem that contribute immensely to substance abuse,” said Gxuluwe.

She added by saying that in some cases learners are doing these things to get attention from parents, teachers and peers and that the Department is taking advantage of giving them attention and time so that they can feel well taken care of, because of the attention and time invested in them.

Educational psychologists and Learner Support Agents (LSA) according to Gxuluwe are also working tirelessly together with stakeholders and the Department in making sure that every learner feels safe and secured in schools.

Sundays River Valley Circuit Manager in the Sarah Baartman District Thobeka Stokwe said that drugs and substance abuse doesn't start from high school only as people normally expect that to be the case.

“We get surprised when visiting even Primary Schools and find out that there are learners who are victims of drug use and substance abuse, so we now need to also have programmes that support children from the early grades so that we save them from growing up with these habits,” said Stokwe.

He also emphasised that working together with stakeholders will make a huge difference towards the future of the learners.

Emily Mohlome who is a social worker from the Department of Social Development spoke about the Teenage Against Drug Abuse (TADA) programme that her department has in schools which aims at educating learners about all types of drugs.

“Most of the time children are exposed to these substances at home and grow up idolising their parents and family members who are doing drugs, and these are always people they look up to in their lives.

We must then also consider extending these programs to those parents so that they can be involved in helping these learners and rebuild what is left” conclude Mohlome.