Punjab to roll out 'drug prevention curriculum' for students of Classes 9 to 12

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government will roll out a pioneering drug prevention curriculum for students of Classes 9 to 12 in all government schools. The move is part of the third phase of the ongoing "Yudh Nashian Virudh" drive, Minister of School Education Harjot Singh Bains said here on Monday. Bains said Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum on August 1 at Arniwala in Fazilka district.

Giving details about the curriculum, Bains, according to a an official statement, further stated that "this pioneering programme, created by the Nobel laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee-led organisation J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes 9 to 12 with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse".

"The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions," he said.

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Programme will cover 3,658 schools

Bains said that the drugs prevention programme will have a wide reach, covering 3,658 schools and engaging over 6,500 trained teachers to empower approximately eight lakh students from Classes 9 to 12. This comprehensive programme will ensure a significant impact on Punjab's education system, equipping students with essential skills to say no to substance abuse, he said.

"This initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024-25," he said. These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results.

The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90 percent of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying 'chitta' even once, compared to 69 percent in the control group, the minister added.

First to implement drug prevention curriculum

"Additionally, the trial successfully debunked myths about addiction, with the belief that addiction can be overcome by willpower alone dropping from 50 percent to 20 percent," Bains said. "Punjab becomes the first state in India to implement a statewide, evidence-based drug prevention curriculum, while recognising that the battle against drugs begins from the classroom, not in police stations," he said.

Meanwhile, the Education Minister shared the details about the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign launched in March this year. He said that the state government has taken stringent actions, including putting over 23,000 drug peddlers behind bars, seizing their properties, and confiscating over 1,000 kg of heroin.

These efforts demonstrate the government's dedication to tackling the drug menace and securing a brighter future for Punjab's youth, he added.