Swami Vivekananda ex-scholars calls for mandatory school bag checks and sniffer dogs at bus stops

The Swami Vivekananda Ex-Scholars Association is calling on all schools to introduce daily mandatory bag checks, including checks of shoes, to prevent drugs being brought onto school grounds, as it raises alarm over what it describes as a growing national crisis.

Association President Vineel Nand says the increasing presence of drugs among young people is deeply concerning and demands urgent, collective action.

Nand says young lives are being pulled into addiction and crime, and families are suffering in silence.

He says this is not the Fiji we want for our children.

He stresses that prevention must begin within schools and communities, urging stronger monitoring around school zones and transport areas.

The Association is also encouraging parents to regularly check their children’s belongings and maintain open and honest conversations at home.

They are further calling on the Fiji Police Force to deploy sniffer dogs at major bus stands nationwide for at least one month, saying visible enforcement would act as a strong deterrent and help expose those in drug distribution.

He adds that the fight against drugs is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement, but a shared duty involving schools, parents, community leaders and students themselves.