Sierra Leone Grammar School (SLGS) has taken a courageous and uncommon step by purchasing a drug testing kit for the random screening of pupils in Freetown. The move, announced by Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA) Secretary Samba Jeigula, included a stern warning of serious disciplinary action and urged parents to monitor their children closely.
This decision is a direct response to a worsening national emergency. In April 2024, President Julius Maada Bio declared substance abuse a public health crisis. The toxic and cheap synthetic drug known as “Kush” continues to pull teenagers into addiction, overwhelming mental health units and causing families to mourn children lost far too soon. Schools across the city are now grappling with higher levels of truancy, aggression, withdrawal, and despair in their classrooms.
The scale of the problem is undeniable. A 2023 study in Freetown revealed that over six percent of school-going adolescents reported lifetime cannabis use, with amphetamine use also a concern. Kush has driven teenagers into dangerous behavior, and teachers report pupils sleeping in class or missing long stretches of school. Immediate, decisive action is necessary.
Random drug testing offers three critical benefits: deterrence, early detection, and reliable data. Pupils who know a test could come at any moment are more likely to avoid substances. A positive result signals an immediate need for intervention and support, replacing speculation and gossip with concrete evidence.
Research from the United States has shown lower rates of substance use in schools that utilize random testing. Even a ten percent difference in Sierra Leone would protect thousands of young people from this devastating crisis.
However, this approach carries significant risks that require careful planning and oversight. While the Education Act grants headteachers broad authority over student discipline, and policies like the Comprehensive School Safety Policy 2023 promote drug-free environments through spot checks and zero-tolerance sanctions, testing must be handled with utmost care.
Urine tests touch on fundamental issues of privacy and dignity. The Child Rights Act 2007 protects pupils from degrading treatment, which means all testing procedures must respect personal boundaries, and results must remain strictly confidential. Furthermore, cheap testing kits can produce false positives, leaving pupils vulnerable to unfair punishment and the risk of isolation or bullying.
Crucially, punishment without support leaves addiction untouched. With only one psychiatric hospital and limited youth support services, expelling a pupil with an addiction simply removes them from the classroom but offers no path toward recovery, often consigning them to the streets and the grip of Kush.
A truly effective approach must blend testing with comprehensive support and clear, non-punitive guidelines. A pupil who fails a test must meet a trained counselor straight away. Parents must give explicit consent through clear, accessible forms. Schools need robust sessions on the dangers of Kush, trauma, and peer pressure. Discipline should involve teachers, counselors, and parents working as a supportive team. While the Education Act empowers headteachers, some teachers may also need support to manage these complex issues.
SLGS has taken the essential first step. Other institutions, including Annie Walsh Memorial School and Prince of Wales, are observing closely. The Ministry of Basic Education must now intervene to help introduce a structured pilot program at SLGS, complete with firm guidelines, independent external oversight, and established cooperation with mental health services. This would provide the entire country with the strength and clarity needed to respond effectively to the Kush crisis.
A single misstep, such as public shaming, unfair expulsions, or careless handling of results, would severely erode trust and harm the very pupils the policy intends to protect. The school has shown courage, but courage alone will not fix this crisis. The next steps must demonstrate discipline, fairness, and care. Testing pupils should ultimately lead them toward recovery, not expulsion. Sierra Leone needs fewer grieving parents and more children who return to school stronger, healthier, and safer than before.