PM Modi Urges Teachers to Educate Students on Dangers of Drug Abuse
Prime Minister calls on educators to monitor behavioural changes, encourage creative activities and help children reduce excessive screen time.
NEW DELHI, Sept 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged teachers to actively raise awareness among students about the dangers of drug abuse and play a greater role in protecting children from harmful influences.
Interacting with national award-winning teachers on Friday, on the eve of Teacher’s Day, Modi stressed that educators should look beyond students’ academic achievements and pay close attention to their behaviour, habits and daily lives.
The prime minister said teachers, along with other members of society, should encourage children to participate in creative activities rather than allowing them to become increasingly dependent on digital screens.
He also called for efforts to help students reduce their screen time, highlighting the need to create a healthier balance between technology use and other aspects of childhood development.
Addressing the issue of drug abuse, Modi said the problem can be particularly difficult to identify in large cities and universities, where teachers and families may not always know how students are being exposed to drugs.
He encouraged teachers to take the lead in creating awareness among students and remain alert to any noticeable changes in their behaviour.
Modi said educators should observe students closely and identify early signs of distress or harmful influences so that timely support can be provided.
The prime minister also pointed to changes in family structures, noting that the decline of joint-family arrangements has increased the importance of teachers in children’s lives.
With children spending a significant part of their day at school, he said teachers have an important responsibility not only in education but also in shaping students’ overall development.
Modi urged educators to ensure that children continue to engage in activities that preserve their curiosity, creativity and sense of joy.
He emphasised that protecting childhood should be considered an important responsibility of teachers and society as a whole.
