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A call for random drug testing of school pupils has met with opposition from the Education Ministry.
Doug Clark, Post Primary Teachers' Association junior vice-president, called for random drug testing after the Waikato Times obtained Education Ministry figures under the Official Information Act which showed there were 186 stand-downs for drug offences from Waikato schools in the year ending November 22 last year, as well as 107 suspensions.
The figures also prompted Labour's education spokeswoman Nanaia Mahuta to call for the Government to produce national guidelines to help principals tackle drugs in schools because the current scattered approach left it up to the discretion of individual principals.
Jeremy Wood, the ministry's group manager of education, curriculum and performance, told the Waikato Times in an email the ministry did not support random drug testing on its own as a solution to drug issues in schools.
A request for a follow-up interview was declined.
"Education programmes that deter young people from taking drugs are used by many schools to reduce the harm caused by drug use," Wood said in the email.
The ministry had published Promoting Student Health and Wellbeing: A Guide to Drug Education in Schools for school boards of trustees, principals and drug education teachers, he said.
"It is part of the health and physical education curriculum. The guide covers developing and implementing a drug education programme. It also outlines how these programmes are supported by a whole-school approach to promoting health and wellbeing that links to wider school communities.
"Schools, teachers and the whole school community have a role in providing a safe and supportive environment for young people. This is so that young people can develop appropriate attitudes, knowledge, skills and competencies to make positive, healthy choices about drug use - including alcohol and tobacco."
Schools were expected to work with relevant agencies such as police, the Health Ministry and Child, Youth and Family when dealing with drug problems, Wood said.
"Searching students and confiscating their property in the interest of safety can be a challenge for boards of trustees, principals and school staff. As such, the decision to search should not be made without good reasons and should follow fair, clear and safe procedures.
"Boards of trustees and principals need to be well informed ... when developing policies and procedures in relation to search and confiscation."
He said the ministry was investigating giving schools greater support in what was a complex legal area.
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