MSF staged a protest outside SCERT in Imphal demanding the introduction of a drug prevention curriculum for Classes 5 to 12 to protect students from substance abuse.
Imphal, June 29: The Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) on Monday staged a protest demonstration outside the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) office at Lamphelpat, demanding the immediate formulation and introduction of a curriculum on drug use prevention for students from Classes 5 to 12.
Carrying placards and raising slogans, MSF members urged the state government, SCERT, the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BOSEM), and the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (COHSEM) to introduce drug prevention education as part of the school curriculum to safeguard students from the growing menace of substance abuse.
Addressing the media during the protest, MSF president Hijam Roshan said Manipur is passing through a critical period and requires long-term educational interventions to protect future generations from the dangers posed by narcotic drugs.
He said Manipur's geographical location, close to the Golden Triangle and along the proposed Trans-Asian Highway (TAH) and Trans-Asian Railway (TAR), has made the state vulnerable to the influx of both cheap and expensive goods from Southeast Asia, including illegal narcotic substances.
According to Roshan, instead of addressing the challenges arising from the state's strategic location, forces seeking to weaken Manipur have allowed the spread of highly addictive drugs that are destroying the lives of young people.
"To save Manipur and protect the student community, MSF has begun this movement demanding the formulation of a Drug Use Prevention Education curriculum for Classes 5 to 12. The curriculum should be published as textbooks and taught in schools," he said.
Roshan alleged that for many years, hatred, conflict and violence had been fuelled among communities that had lived together for generations, leading to killings, displacement, destruction of property and long-term social suffering. Alongside these conflicts, he claimed, drug abuse had emerged as another serious threat that was gradually weakening society.
He said the impact of drugs has reached almost every household in Manipur, making substance abuse one of the state's most pressing social concerns.
Recalling earlier anti-drug movements, Roshan said ordinary mothers who had little knowledge of legal provisions had formed the Nisha Bandh movement to protect future generations from drugs and alcohol. Their efforts, he said, helped create a healthier social environment where addiction was less widespread.
However, despite the existence of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the drug problem has continued to grow instead of declining, he added.
The MSF president said the federation believes education is one of the most effective ways to prevent drug abuse among young people. He urged SCERT to incorporate drug prevention education while preparing the State Curriculum Framework (SCF) under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
According to the federation, the curriculum should introduce age-appropriate lessons on intoxicating substances at the Preparatory Stage and Middle Stage, covering students from Classes 3 to 8, while comprehensive drug education should be made a compulsory textbook subject for students from Classes 5 to 12.
MSF further demanded that BOSEM and COHSEM immediately develop and implement a curriculum for secondary and higher secondary students. The federation said students in Classes 9 to 12 should receive structured education on the harmful effects of drugs, the consequences of addiction and the importance of making responsible life choices.
Roshan said investing in students is essential for the future of Manipur, stressing that human resource development begins with quality education. He noted that the National Education Policy also places significant emphasis on nurturing students and developing human potential.
"The students and youth of today will become the pillars of tomorrow's society. If we want to build and save our nation, they must be guided in the right direction from an early stage," he said.
MSF maintained that introducing drug prevention education into the formal school curriculum would equip students with the knowledge and awareness needed to resist substance abuse while contributing to a healthier and more responsible society.
The federation urged the concerned educational authorities to act without delay and ensure that drug education becomes an integral part of school education in Manipur.
