Content related to drug abuse included in school textbooks: Centre tells SC
New Delhi, December 14: Content related to drug abuse and ill effects of substances such as alcohol, heroin and cocaine have been included in the school textbook prescribed by NCERT, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.
A study is going to explore the possibilities of using drones to destroy illicit cultivation of opium and cannabis by the NCB, the Centre added.
"NCB is also under active consultation with Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) to explore the use of new technologies such as satellite imagery, use of drones etc. to counter the problem of illicit crop cultivation. A separate study group to explore the possibilities of using drones to destroy illicit cultivation of Opium and Cannabis is also being formed by NCB," the government added.
It further apprised the apex court that contents related to drug abuse and the ill effects of substances such as alcohol, heroin and cocaine have been included in the school textbook.
The Ministry of Education mentioned these facts in an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court in accordance with its earlier order.
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The ministry stated in the affidavit that NCERT has been addressing concerns about drug abuse and its capacity-building programmes, particularly focusing on adolescent-related concerns under the School Health Programme of Ayushman Bharat. The Training and Resource Material on the Health and Wellness of School-going Children has a theme of "Prevention and Management of Substance Misuse," which deals with preventive measures to address this concern.
"Also, the contents related to drug abuse are included in Chapter 4 of the Textbook in Psychology for Class XI (Human) Development) and in Chapter 4 of the Textbook in Psychology for Class XII (Psychological Disorders). Also, ill-effects of frequently abused substances such as alcohol, heroin and cocaine have been discussed in the section on Substance-related and addictive disorders," the ministry said.
The ministry informed the court that mental health issues have become a growing concern among individuals. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 highlights this concern and states the urgent need for ensuring "not only cognitive development but also building character & creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st-century skills".
According to the government, NCERT has been providing professional training in Guidance and Counselling to support and strengthen the capacity of counsellors and teachers so that they can help individuals deal with everyday life stressors such as changes in lifestyle, divorced/single parents, anger, violence, drug abuse, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, suicide, and crime.
- ANI
