Row over who gets drug test results

A row is brewing over the confidentiality of planned drug tests in schools, with schools, parents and social workers at odds over who should see the results.

The social workers say they should have a chance to counsel students found to be drug takers before parents and teachers are told, or students might be unwilling to talk about their problems.

The head of a school in Tai Po, the district where the voluntary scheme will be tried first in September, said all parties should be told. The district's parent teacher association agreed.

But a legislator said only the students and parents should be told.

Social worker Moses Mui Wai-keung said he and colleagues had reservations about telling principals, teachers and parents about results. 'It is better for social workers to learn the results first so they can build up a relationship with students with drug abuse problems and win their trust more easily, as the students know social workers keep things secret,' Mr Mui, chief officer for family and community service with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, said.

'Social workers will inform the school and parents when the concerned students become regretful and are willing to make a change. If the school and parents are informed in the first place, the students might not be willing to talk about their problems.'

Assembly of God Hebron Secondary School principal Kwok Chi-hung disagreed. 'Schools, parents and social workers should all be informed about the test results. The tests are carried out on the school campus and it should be the school management who refer cases to social workers to follow,' Mr Kwok, a member of the Hong Kong Association of Heads of Secondary Schools, said.