Drug Education in Victorian Post-Primary Schools

• NCJ Number: 124244
• Author(s): J Garrard; J Northfield
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 235 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Campaign Against Drug Abuse
• Sale Source: Victoria Health Dept
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

The Drug Education Project in Victoria (Australia) examined what Victorian post-primary schools are doing in drug education, the problems and issues associated with school involvement in drug education, and the support needed to facilitate additional developments in drug education.

Abstract

The project involved various study phases: a survey of Victorian post-primary schools, case studies of 18 schools, and interviews with persons involved in developing resources for school drug education. The survey found that 87 percent of the responding schools (over 40 percent of the 561 schools) identified a school contribution to drug education. The contributions covered both curricular and non-curricular aspects of school life. Drug education is rarely a separate subject in the school curriculum. It is generally part of health and human relations courses. Some problems and issues associated with school involvement in drug education are inadequate guidelines, insufficient opportunities for professional development in teaching drug education, and insufficient curriculum materials. Some of the supportive factors that facilitate and enhance school drug education are quality curriculum/resource materials, teacher training, and guidelines for administering and teaching drug education. 27 tables, appended project materials, 120-item bibliography.