The Hindu : New Delhi News : Become role models, teachers told

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Sunday, Oct 08, 2006
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Become role models, teachers told

Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Governor A. R. Kidwai on Saturday called upon the teaching community to become role models and groom the new generation in such a way that they are free from the abuse of drugs and aware about AIDS.

Inaugurating a Drugs and HIV/AIDS Awareness Workshop for Principals of Government Senior Secondary Schools of Haryana here, Dr. Kidwai said that drugs consumption and HIV/AIDS were global problems. The teachers should work with a missionary zeal to inculcate healthy ideas and a spirit of discipline and dedication amongst students. He said that adolescence was a very tender age and if the students took to the wrong path it was very difficult to check them. Moreover, there was the risk that these students could also "spoil'' their companions.

Dr. Kidwai commended the State Government for initiating a programme under which all children seeking admission in the educational institutions would be medically examined to detect any contagious or infectious disease. If children were found suffering from any major diseases, they would be given appropriate medical aid.

Haryana Education Minister Phool Chand Mullana asked the teaching community to play a pivotal role in spreading awareness about drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. Mostly drug abuse cases were in the age group of 15 to 25 years. According to a survey, there were 7.3 crore drugs abusers in the country, out of which 6.25 crore were alcohol abusers. It was tragic that 5.2 crore people in the country were suffering from AIDS. He said that students should form a habit of reading general books to increase their knowledge about the outside world. Gary Levis, representative of regional office for South Asia, UN Office of Drugs and Crime, said that Haryana was the first State from where the national drug programme was being launched. He said that he was alarmed to know about the number of drug abusers in the country where dramatic economic and social transformation was taking place. He cautioned that there was an urgent need to check the use of drugs among the younger generation and make them aware of causes and preventive measures of HIV/AIDS, which was the biggest threat to humanity.

Mr. Levis said the UN could help India in bringing its expertise, based on other countries, as they had already passed through the optimum level of AIDS in their countries.

The Principal Secretary for Education, R. S. Gujral, said that Haryana was the first State which was connecting educational institutions by Edusat .

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