Mohali, January 10: To curb drug abuse through early intervention, the Punjab government’s anti-drug curriculum for senior secondary students will change minds from early stage, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Friday.
Speaking at a training programme for principals and teachers at the School of Eminence in Mohali, Bains said the education system has been placed at the centre of the state’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign.
“Our focus is prevention. Schools and teachers are being empowered to guide children before they fall prey to drugs,” Bains said, adding that value-based education was critical to long-term social change.
As part of the initiative, the government will also launch a pilot project in Mohali district introducing a 30-minute meditation session at the beginning of the school day. “Meditation will help students build emotional balance and inner discipline, which are essential to resisting negative pressures,” he said.
Bains said teachers would be trained to spot early behavioural changes among students and provide timely guidance. “This training is a starting point. Educators will play a key role in steering children away from drugs,” he said.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on social media that principals across Punjab were being trained to foster drug-free school environments and strengthen students’ ability to refuse drugs despite pressure or temptation.
Punjab School Education Board Chairman Dr Amarpal Singh was present at the event. The programme concluded with a giddha performance by students carrying a social message against drug abuse.
