Education Minister Endorses Mandatory Drug Tests for Tertiary Institution Students

The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has thrown his support behind the implementation of compulsory and random drug tests for students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

This development came after a meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd). The discussion focused on strategies to tackle the rising issue of substance abuse among students.

According to a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the minister also approved a review of the current secondary school curriculum to integrate enhanced drug education. Additionally, Alausa pledged to establish an inter-ministerial technical working group in collaboration with the NDLEA.

Babafemi highlighted Marwa’s proposed three-pronged approach: revising drug education in schools, introducing dedicated drug prevention programmes in secondary schools, and enforcing a drug testing policy for tertiary students—covering new admissions, returning students, and random testing.

Marwa warned that the drug menace poses a serious threat to national security and youth development, linking it to crimes like terrorism and banditry. He revealed that the NDLEA had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tons of drugs in the last two years.

“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” he stated.

In response, Minister Alausa stressed the urgency of addressing drug abuse, warning of its damaging effects on students’ education and future employability.

“When young people get into drugs, they stop attending school or receive a dysfunctional education. Their critical thinking diminishes, and they struggle to make sound decisions later in life, ultimately becoming unemployable,” he said.

He affirmed that drug testing would be implemented for both fresh and returning tertiary students, stating, “We have to do it. There’s no alternative.”

Alausa also announced the creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the Ministry and confirmed the ongoing revision of the secondary school curriculum to include drug education. He suggested eventually cascading these reforms to primary schools as well.

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“I’ve invited the Director of Senior Secondary Education to ensure we incorporate drug education into the new curriculum. And I fully support the introduction of dedicated school-based programmes that can be scaled nationwide,” he added.

The minister further pledged to work with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos.