Punjab to roll out drug prevention curriculum in govt schools: Harjot Singh Bains
Addressing a press conference here, Bains informed that Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum at Arniwala in Fazilka district on Friday. He said this pioneering programme, created by Nobel Laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee-led J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse.
The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions, he said.
Bains said this initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024–25. 'These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results. The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90% of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying 'chitta' even once, compared to 69% in the control group,' he added.
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