01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

SAFE, CHALLENGING AND CREATIVE SCHOOLSOver $2m was spent on drugeducation initiatives including:• drug education for all primary andsecondary schools as part of thePersonal Development, Health andPhysical Education syllabus with aparticular emphasis on Years 5-8• ten field-based drug education advisersto support teachers across the state• $500 for each secondary and centralschool for drug education resources• $170 for each primary school fortraining in the K-6 Drug EducationResource• $400 for the purchase of resources andto review the K-6 Drug Educationprograms• the End of Year Celebrations packagecovering Year 10 and Year 12 students• the development of special drug andalcohol seminars for Aboriginalstudents• a copy of Alcohol and other DrugServices of NSW for every schoolcounsellor for referrals.The emphasis of the program is oninformed decision making and thedevelopment of support groups.The program was supported by thedevelopment of resources that giveAboriginal perspectives on drugeducation in forms that appeal toyouth. For example, thedevelopment of a comic wascommenced.Projected long term outcomesinclude:• increased awareness andunderstanding of drug issueswhich affect Aboriginalcommunities• student leadership as analternative to drug dependency• awareness of the dangers oflegal drugs in Aboriginalcommunities• support networks forAboriginal students.New Drug EducationMeasuresAn action plan was announcedduring 1997 to protect students andschools from illegal drugs in thecommunity.New measures will beimplemented in 1998 and include:• all teachers in NSW publicschools undertaking specialisttraining about drugs. Thetraining will include videopresentations by recognisedexperts and the distribution ofadditional resources, includinga booklet Drugs: Just theFacts developed by theNational Drug and AlcoholResearch Centre• students suspended for drugsmust agree to stringentconditions and undergocompulsory counsellingbefore they will be able toreturn to school• all public high schools inNSW are to conduct ameeting, with localDepartment of Health andPolice Service personnel, toinform parents about drugmatters including disciplinaryprocedures relating to studentuse of drugs on schools. Allparents will be informed inwriting of the school’sdiscipline code• all secondary school studentswill be provided with a copyof the school’s discipline codeand clearly told theconsequences for possessionor use of illegal drugs atschool.The Department continued toenforce the Minister’s 1995direction making it compulsory tosuspend any student found to be inpossession of illicit drugs at school.Suspension occurs immediately ifa student is caught bringing illegaldrugs to school and the police areinformed.The Director-General instructedschools that any student suspendedfrom school for an incident relatedto illicit drugs would be requiredto participate in targetedcounselling intervention.72 DSE Annual Report 1997