Schoolbags to be checked for drugs

Colombo: Sri Lankan Education Minister Susil Premajayanta wants schoolbags of students checked to ensure that they are not carrying drugs.

The Island newspaper on Thursday quoted the Minister as telling this to Parliament on Wednesday.

The Minister said a circular would be issued soon to school authorities to inspect schoolbags of children for illicit drugs such as crystal methamphetamine known as ICE.

“There were very innovative and devious methods of promoting narcotics among schoolchildren and there had been no proper mechanism to prevent this menace,” the Minister said, adding that parents and school authorities must come forward to save the country’s children from the drug menace.