Army to spearhead ‘war against drugs’ in schools | Daily News

Army to spearhead ‘war against drugs’ in schools

Army Commander Lt.General Mahesh Senanayake with Presidential Task Force of Drug Prevention Director Dr. Samantha Kithalawaarachchi and Additional Education Director, Sudarshan Peiris.
Army Commander Lt.General Mahesh Senanayake with Presidential Task Force of Drug Prevention Director Dr. Samantha Kithalawaarachchi and Additional Education Director, Sudarshan Peiris.

The Sri Lanka Army has partnered with the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention to spearhead a propaganda ‘war’ against drugs through 6,312 schools countrywide.

Considering the eradication of dangerous drugs, now a national priority, a team of top-level officials of the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention met the Army Commander Lt. General Mahesh Senanayake to map out further action.

The proposed modus operandi expects all islandwide SFHQs, Divisions, Brigades and all formations of the Army to reach out each and every government school in their respective areas of responsibility and distribute a handbill on dangers of those drugs to every student after delivery of an informative lecture by a professionally-trained Army representative during an assembly of students of each school.

Lt. General Mahesh Senanayake directed the Army Psychological Operations Directorate, Operations Directorate and the Media Directorate to immediately summon a conference of all islandwide senior officers to discuss practical arrangements.

The Army Commander suggested the cream of the student population in each school could be further utilised to give leadership to this scheme.

“The potential of school prefects, cadets, scouts, monitors and outstanding students can be tapped in this regard and those categories could be adequately trained to sustain this awareness within each school premises either on weekly basis or otherwise since they are the close acquaintances of their classmates or student community”, the Commander said.

At the same occasion Commander wanted all professionally-trained Officers, Lady Officers, Senior Non Commissioned Officers, Non Commissioned Officers, Woman soldiers and Other Ranks to be ready at short notice to provide their instructional knowledge to schools as decided by the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention and the Education Ministry.

Psychological Operations Director Brigadier M.M Kithsiri, Colonel General Staff, Directorate of Operations Colonel Dinesh Udugama and Colonel Media, Directorate of Media Colonel Priyantha Kariyawasam were present.

 

 


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