Peter F Borges, former Chairperson of the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR), has called for immediate implementation of a comprehensive drug prevention strategy in the state's educational institutions.
Borges, who is also founder of Human Touch Foundation and Assistant Professor at Goa University's Department of Social Work, cited drug seizures worth Rs 68 crore in the first four months of 2025 as evidence of the scale of the narcotics problem. He said prevention efforts remain limited and reactive while police focus on supply reduction.
The former GSCPCR Chairperson highlighted that the School Drug Narcotic Policy, drafted by the Goa SCPCR during his tenure, remains unnotified by the Education Department. He said this policy would equip schools with protocols for identification, intervention, referral, and rehabilitation of at-risk students.
Borges also pointed to the abandonment of Prahari Clubs, student-led anti-drug clubs established across schools during his chairmanship. He said these clubs lack state support, budget allocation, or follow-up monitoring despite their potential as peer-led interventions.
He noted the emergence of e-cigarettes and vapes in schools, with teachers confiscating devices while students experiment with them. According to Borges, the state government lacks policy or guidelines to address this trend among minors.
The former SCPCR Chairperson has made seven specific demands to the government. He called for immediate notification and enforcement of the School Drug Narcotic Policy across all educational institutions and allocation of a dedicated budget for drug demand reduction programs including teacher training and school-based counseling.
Borges demanded institutionalization of Prahari Clubs with sustained funding and state-level monitoring. He sought creation of vaping and e-cigarette guidelines for schools and establishment of a state-level Drug Demand Reduction Task Force comprising Education, Health, Police, Social Welfare departments and civil society organizations.
He also called for placement of trained counselors in schools, particularly in high-risk talukas, and launch of a transparency dashboard to publish measurable outcomes of prevention efforts.
Borges said Goa possesses necessary data and structures but lacks budgetary commitment to address the drug crisis in educational settings through evidence-based prevention strategies.