Students taking Copen while attending classes
A sad picture of students being addicted to the locally manufactured drug Copen is evident at schools in Western province.
An education officer and parent relayed this during a one-day workshop focused on Child Policy Direction held in Gizo, Western province on Friday.
The workshop was conducted by the Ministry of Women Youth Children Affairs (MWYCA) with support of Save the Children and Education Division of Western.
An education officer highlighted that students nowadays have been taking this drug while going to classes.
“This is really disturbing and will cause a lot of setbacks in student’s concentration and health conditions. Even worse it may also threaten their lives as well.
“I know many parents will share this same concern that is getting serious at the moment,” she said.
She added, as a parent who also experienced her younger children taking the drug while attending classes it is a very sad picture.
“Their concentration is drifting too far by observing their school work at homes. Almost every exercise books were seen empty,” she added.
She further added it is time that responsible authorities need to address this issue before it continues, to affect many children in the years to come.
Meanwhile, according to Gizo Hospital records there are young children being seen who have been affected as a result of using the drug. The latest case is a young student from Gizo Secondary School.
Few months ago, about 100 plus students of Vonunu National Secondary School (VNSS) have been caught consuming and selling Copen in the school.
There is still no legal instrument to allow police to arrest people consuming the drug.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star Gizo
