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Michael Magoronga, [email protected]

Learners at Loreto High School in Silobela took to the streets where they raised awareness against drug and substance abuse which has become rife among the young generation.

Waving placards amid song and dance, the learners marched from Cross-Roads in Silobela to their school in a bid to raise awareness amongst peers who partake in drugs and other harmful substances as well as those who supply the drugs to partakers.

This marked the formation of a school-based movement, Stand Against Drug Abuse (SADA) at the school, which will also play a key role in eradicating the scourge within the Catholic-run school.

SADA president, Tinotenda Chemhuru said, some of his peers at the school exhibit symptoms of intoxication.

“You can tell by the behaviour they exhibit, most of them are violent even towards teachers that they are intoxicated. They also turn violent even among other learners and it enhances bullying within the school,” said the Upper 6 learner.

He said marijuana is the most common drug that is abused at the school.

“I have seen some of my friends failing their Ordinary Level examinations due to marijuana. It is the most rampant at school, although some drugs also find their way into the school,” he said.

The school has a mixture of boarding and day scholars.

SADA founder, Brother Kwirirai Muzenda said they are now planning on introducing the club to other surrounding schools.

“From our research we discovered that day scholars are the ones who bring drugs into the school from outside. We therefore plan on a massive launch where we will introduce the club to ten of our surrounding schools so that we try and eradicate the scourge,” said the teacher.

He said after the launch, they will work on spreading the message among school children in the district in a bid to eradicate drug and substance abuse.

Other programs lined up include visiting prisons to get first-hand information from those arrested over drugs.