Three-day Teacher TOT Program, First Phase in Kurunagala District

Preventive Education and Training Division of National Dangerous Drugs Control Board collaboratively with Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka has conducted a Three-day TOT program for counseling teachers in kurunagala District. 

Substance abuse among school-aged children and adolescents has become a pressing global concern. While the specific patterns of use may vary between countries and communities, the underlying risks—such as health deterioration, academic underachievement, behavioral problems, and long-term addiction—are universal. The school years represent a critical developmental stage where young people are highly impressionable, forming their personal values, social networks, and coping mechanisms. During this period, exposure to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other addictive substances can have long-lasting consequences.

Schools, being structured environments where students spend a significant portion of their day, have an unparalleled opportunity to influence healthy behaviors. Teachers, as the frontline educators and role models, are in a unique position to identify risk factors, guide students towards healthy decisions, and intervene early. However, fulfilling this role effectively requires targeted training in substance abuse prevention—not merely as an add-on to their teaching duties, but as an integrated part of their professional skill set.

Research has consistently shown that teachers are among the most influential adults in a child’s life, second only to parents and guardians. Their influence operates on multiple levels:

• Modeling Behavior: Teachers’ own attitudes toward substances—both in personal conduct and in classroom messaging—shape students’ perceptions.
• Creating a Safe Space: Students are more likely to confide in trusted teachers when they are struggling, whether with academic issues, family problems, or substance-related pressures.
• Integrating Prevention into Everyday Learning: Teachers can embed prevention themes into lessons, discussions, and classroom culture without making it feel like a detached or preachy “special topic.”

Training enhances these capacities by providing teachers with evidence-based prevention approaches, cultural competence, and communication techniques that resonate with students’ realities

This Training conducted on 22nd.23rd and 24th of July 2025 at Wayamba Training Institute - Wariyapola.

Mr. Pradee Koholanegedara (ICAP - Treatment, Prevention, Recovery), Ms. Iresha Sewwandi Jayakodi (District Coordinator),  Mr. Supun Udana Wewalagedara (ICAP - Prevention, Recovery), Ms. Inusha Hettiarachchi (ICAP - Prevention), Ms. Priyanthi Hewage, joined as the resource persons.