Anti-Drug Program in Indian Schools to be Initiated by AAP Leader Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann
Punjab Leads the Way in Drug Prevention with Comprehensive Curriculum
A groundbreaking drug prevention program has been launched in Punjab, making it the first state in India to implement such a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum within its school system.
The initiative, part of the third phase of the "yudh nashian virudh" (war against drugs) in Punjab, was launched on a specific Friday. Over 6,500 trained teachers will engage with approximately eight lakh students from Classes IX to XII in 3,658 government schools across the state.
The curriculum, developed with leading behavioral scientists under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee-led J-PAL South Asia, is designed to equip students with prevention-focused skills against substance abuse. The sessions, which last for 35 minutes, will be held every fortnight for 27 weeks.
The program has yielded significant results after randomized trials conducted in 78 government schools, covering 9,600 students in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024-25. These trials showed positive outcomes, including a 90% recognition among students in the intervention group that trying 'chitta' once carries a high risk of addiction, compared to only 69% in the control group. The belief that addiction can be overcome by willpower alone dropped from 50% to 20% among students exposed to the curriculum.
The program incorporates documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities to make the sessions engaging and effective. The aim is to combat substance abuse and provide students with essential skills to navigate this critical issue.
The launch of the program was attended by Harjot Singh Bains, the minister of school education, and other dignitaries. The initiative emphasizes that fighting drug addiction should start in classrooms rather than police stations, signifying a significant shift in approach towards substance abuse prevention in Punjab.
[1] Punjab Government Press Release [2] J-PAL South Asia Evaluation Report [4] Times of India Article
- The comprehensive drug prevention curriculum launched in Punjab, part of the "yudh nashian virudh" (war against drugs), is now being discussed in general-news outlets across India.
- Apart from drug prevention, the curriculum in Punjab schools also focuses on education-and-self-development, emphasizing essential skills for students to navigate issues such as substance abuse.
- Aside from the war on drugs, the Punjab Government is also focusing on political changes, with the education ministry's commitment to introducing preventive measures against substance abuse making headlines in the news.
