Higher education institutions: President for formulating drug policy by March 2021

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan to formulate drug policy for the higher education institutions by March 2021, so as to save the students from the menace of narcotics and provide them healthy learning environment.

The president gave these directions, while chairing a meeting of the Committee on Drug Abuse and Welfare of Differently-abled-Students on Thursday.

The meeting discussed various proposals to eradicate the menace of drugs from educational institutions.

The vice-chancellors of various universities of the country gave their respective proposals via video-link to contain drug abuse in universities.

The meeting emphasised the need to raise awareness among youth by engaging social workers, media, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the civil society.

It also underlined the need for closer collaboration among stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), and the law-enforcements agencies to protect the educational institutions from drug abuse.

The president also asked the HEC to initiate measures for the welfare and facilitation of differently-abled students in the educational institutions by providing them waiver in tuition fees, special transportation facility within educational institutions, and relaxation in age.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020