Published: Wednesday, 4th June, 2008 2:13pm

P6 pupil found with an illegal substance

ALARM bells are ringing over a rise in the number of children caught with drugs in local schools, writes ALLY McGILVRAY.

Scottish Borders Council"s Education Executive heard yesterday, Tuesday, that a Primary 6 pupil was the latest and youngest to be found in possession of an illegal substance.

A total of 24 cases of children being caught supplying drugs and one caught dealing have been detected in the region between 1999 and the present.

But members heard that there had been an increase since the last audit in 2005.

Councillor Graham Garvie said: 'I was alarmed to learn there are now cases of children being caught in primary schools in possession of drugs.'

However, Councillor Catriona Bhatia, the local authority"s executive member for education, added: 'If we think how many children we have in our schools, the figure is a low one.

'But we have to continue to educate children from a young age about the dangers of drugs."

Councillors, who learned that local youngsters were given drugs education from Primary One upwards, raised their concerns while updating SBC"s policy on the management of substance misuse in schools.

And it was claimed that the Borders wasn"t the worst compared to other regions in Scotland.

Councillor Michael Cook said: 'We can all throw our hands up and say: "Shock, horror, there are drugs in our primary schools".

'But we know that is the position. I don"t think we should paint it as something which is unremittingly bleak,' he added.