BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 01, 2022 (SKNIS) – The National Council on Drug Abuse Prevention, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is set to introduce a new drug prevention programme in primary schools across the Federation.
The Living Above the Influence 11 Sessions Primary School Substance Use Education & Prevention Programme will be launched in the next school term in January 2023.
The programme was developed by the National Council on Drug Abuse Prevention and the Drug Prevention and Treatment Services Inc., a volunteer group that works closely with the Drug Council, with Clinical Review by the Director of the National Counseling Center, Mrs. Michele de la Coudray Blake.
It is designed to prevent or delay the use of substances among the “at-risk” students at the primary school level in the Federation through education and by equipping the students with tools and skills that will increase their capacity to make good, informed decisions when faced with substance use situations.
In a build-up to its eventual introduction, the National Council on Drug Abuse Prevention launched the programme’s manual to guidance counselors from the various schools across St. Kitts in November.
During that exercise, the guidance counselors received a detailed overview of the programme, which included lesson plans, homework and class activities, and monitoring and evaluation tools. The National Drug Council will support guidance counselors by facilitating sessions where or when that support is needed.
The Living Above the Influence 11 Sessions Primary School Substance Use Education & Prevention Programme will be rolled out in all grade 4 classes at all public primary schools in the Federation in January 2023.
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Photo: Director of National Drug Council Secretariat, Mrs. Karimu Byron Caines alongside Drug Prevention Officer, Miss Ishelle Huggins.
