2nd phase of drug tests for school workers begins

CAIRO – 9 September 2017: The second phase of drug tests for school workers will start on Sunday in parallel to those undergone by drivers of school buses as the academic year 2017-2018 is approaching.

Minister of Social solidarity Ghada Wali, who is also the head of the Fund for Drug Control and the Treatment of Addiction, announced on Saturday the launching of the campaign, which will be executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Last academic year, the tests were undergone by 3,536 drivers, of which 123 turned out to be addicts. The percentage at that year decreased to 3.5 percent as it was 7.6 percent and 12 percent in the academic years 2015-2016, and 2014-2015 respectively.

The first phase comprised 1,972 school workers in the governorates of Cairo and Giza.

The tests revealed that 128 were addicts representing 6.5 percent of the total sample.

Tests are conducted randomly for school bus drivers as well as truck drivers on autostrades in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.