'Prahari Club' In Punjab's Government Schools To Keep Children Away From Drugs

The Union Government had previously proposed the constitution of 'Prahari clubs' in government schools to keep children away from drugs and substance abuse. Therefore, the Punjab Government, under the new Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has issued a direction regarding the same to all school heads. The project proposes to set up 'Prahari Club' in each school with a teacher and students from classes 6-12 as its members. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) said that, as per the suggestion from the Centre, the clubs would come up to steer the children away from drug abuse.

20-25 Students As Members In The Club

The letter from the state government's body mentioned that the physical education teacher in each school would be the nodal head for the club. If a school does not have a physical education teacher, the principal has the authority to appoint any teacher for the responsibility. Nearly 20 to 25 students from classes 6-12 would be the club's members, which would be tasked to spread awareness about the harmful effects of drugs amongst all students. Moreover, the club would ensure a drug-free environment for students inside the school, and in its vicinity, The Indian Express reported.

Punjab Government's Similar Program

The Punjab government had also introduced the 'Tu Mera Buddy' programme in 2018 to undertake anti-drug campaigns in schools and classrooms. The idea was to catch children young to keep them away from harmful drugs. The class was divided into small groups of five to six students in each, and a trainer teacher to spread the awareness. The 'buddies' were tasked to keep an eye on each other and detect the earliest symptoms of drug addiction.

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