The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has unveiled plans to introduce mandatory drug testing for students across all elementary, junior, and senior high schools nationwide, a move aimed at tackling the alarming rise in drug abuse among young people.
According to Fitzgerald Biago, Head of the LDEA Interim Management Team, the initiative is being developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) as part of a broader national strategy to prevent drug use before it starts.
Since assuming office earlier this year, the Interim Management Team has redirected the agency’s focus toward prevention, education, and community engagement, signaling a major policy shift from reactive enforcement to proactive social intervention. In recent months, the LDEA has strengthened collaborations with schools, churches, and health institutions to promote awareness, rehabilitation, and early prevention efforts.
Under its new direction, the agency has also expanded community outreach programs, backed local rehabilitation initiatives, and pushed for tougher legal frameworks to combat synthetic drugs and trafficking.
The forthcoming school drug testing policy is being described as a landmark step in protecting Liberia’s youth, one of the country’s most vulnerable groups, often targeted by drug traffickers and exposed to harmful substances at an early age.
Biago emphasized that the initiative is not about punishment, but rather about identifying and supporting at-risk students through counseling and rehabilitation.
Public reactions so far have been largely positive, with many citizens praising the agency’s shift toward a more compassionate and preventive approach to drug control.
However, observers note that the success of the program will hinge on how effectively it is implemented. The LDEA is still finalizing consultations with education authorities, and key details such as privacy safeguards, consent procedures, and parental involvement are expected to be outlined in the final rollout plan.
The agency has not yet disclosed when the nationwide testing will officially begin.
