Four Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) students, who were caught smoking cigarettes have been removed from the Lodoni-based Government boarding school.

Korovou Police yesterday confirmed that the students were brought to the  station on Sunday together with their belongings by a school teacher.

At the school yesterday, Acting Principal Arvind Prasad said he would not comment and directed all questions to the Ministry of Education .

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education, Timoci Bure, said they had received the report.

He said those students caught smoking would be removed from the school and taken to another institution closer to their parents.

According to Police media liaison officer, Savaira Tabua, after these students were taken to Korovou Police Station on Sunday, they slept at the station.

“The Police will not investigate the matter,” she said.

Mr Bure said the ministry would help find another school for these students.

He said they would be counselled by the ministry’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council.

When they are in their new schools, he said they would be regularly visited by the council where they would be counselled and have their progress monitored.

He said the students could not be stopped from having an education because it was their right.

“We have to respect their right to education,” Mr Bure said.

He also said Government champions education.

When the Fiji Sun visited the Korovou Police Station yesterday, the students were waiting for their parents.

By 12pm, none of the students’ parents had turned up at the station.

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s policy on drugs and substance abuse in schools is that they do not permit the possession , consumption, promotion, distribution, or sale of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and / or marijuana .

These will not be tolerated in school environment premises or at any school function within or outside the school.

Edited by Percy Kean

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