LASUED will require all 4,500 applicants for the 2024/25 session to undergo NDLEA-supervised drug tests.
The university says only candidates certified drug-free will gain admission, regardless of academic qualifications.
The Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) has announced that all 4,500 applicants for the 2024/25 academic session must undergo drug testing before admission is granted.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye said the decision was prompted by a recent case involving a drug-dependent student that caused panic on campus. The university is partnering with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to conduct the screening and ensure credible results.
She stressed that even strong UTME or SSCE results would not guarantee admission unless the applicant is certified drug-free. “We are a teacher-grooming institution, and we aim to instill morals and discipline worthy of the teaching profession,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor also urged parents to be more involved in guiding their children, warning that peer influence at the university level often leads to substance abuse. She advised against rushing children through school or using “miracle centers” for exams, noting that such practices leave them unprepared for higher education.
According to her, the institution has seen a rise in withdrawals among students admitted with unearned certificates who later struggled academically. She commended JAMB for improving exam security and encouraged WAEC and NECO to implement similar measures.
The Federal Ministry of Education and the NDLEA have agreed to include drug education in secondary school curricula and make drug testing mandatory in higher institutions. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.), disclosed that in the last two years, the agency arrested over 40,000 offenders, secured more than 8,600 convictions, and seized 5,500 metric tons of illicit substances, including over one trillion tramadol pills.
Marwa recommended updating school drug education to address new psychoactive substances, launching prevention campaigns with parental participation, and introducing regular and random drug tests for students to maintain campus safety.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, backed the initiative, describing drug abuse as a national crisis that undermines students’ academic performance, employability, and social well-being. He announced the creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit and an inter-ministerial working group to oversee the reforms nationwide.
A similar policy was first implemented by the University of Abuja in 2023 in partnership with the NDLEA. LASUED’s adoption of the measure is part of a broader effort to promote discipline, protect student health, and ensure future educators reflect the values they are expected to teach.
