By The Pulseline News Desk
The Government has announced a complete ban on the promotion and use of alcohol and drugs at any event organised under a school’s name or using its official logo, in a move aimed at protecting students from exposure to intoxicating substances.
The directive, issued through Education Ministry Circular No. 2026/10, makes clear that any event conducted using a school’s name or logo will be treated as a school event and will therefore be subject to the prohibition.
Under the new measures, the Secretary to the Ministry of Education has been empowered to immediately prohibit any event found to be violating the directive.
The move comes amid repeated complaints from parents over students being exposed to alcohol and drugs during major sporting events involving some of the country’s leading schools, particularly high-profile school cricket encounters.
An Education Ministry official has said the directive was intended to close a loophole whereby events associated with schools could be presented as separate or private functions despite being organised under a school identity.
“Any event representing a school or using its logo is prohibited from promoting drugs and alcohol. An event held using the school logo is a school event, and no intoxicating substances should be used at such an event,” the official said.
The Ministry has said the prohibition would apply not only to the direct consumption of alcohol or drugs but also to their promotion or association with events conducted under a school identity.
The directive is expected to have particular relevance to major school sporting fixtures, where large crowds of students, parents, alumni and supporters gather and where commercial promotions and sponsorships have increasingly become part of the event environment.
The Ministry has said enforcement would be closely monitored, including during major school cricket matches.
The Government’s latest move reflects growing concerns over the environment surrounding school events and the potential impact of alcohol and drug exposure on schoolchildren.
By formally defining an event held under a school’s name or logo as a school event, the Education Ministry is seeking to ensure that school identity cannot be used to circumvent restrictions intended to safeguard students.
Officials are expected to maintain closer oversight of major school events following the introduction of the circular, with organisers potentially facing immediate intervention if the prohibition is breached.
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