Reclaiming the Future: A Philosophical Exploration of the Role of Education in Preventing Drug Abuse and Promoting Sustainable Development Among Youths in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State Nigeria

Abstract

Youth drug abuse in Nigeria has emerged as both a public health crisis and a threat to national stability, with prevalence rates far above global averages. In Wukari Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba State, empirical findings reveal that drug abuse among youths is closely linked to poverty, unemployment, inadequate prevention training, and the absence of a deliberate education policy aimed at curbing substance use. This paper philosophically and empirically interrogates these findings, situating them within John Dewey’s democratic education, Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, and Amartya Sen’s capability approach. Drawing on a mixedmethods study of 500 youths aged 15–29 in Wukari, the study found that over 40% reported lifetime use of psychoactive substances, often connected to violence and conflict. The paper advances an “ESD-Plus” (Education for Sustainable Development + Evidence-Based Prevention) model, proposing an integrative approach that combines school-based prevention, vocational capability-building, and community peace education. It concludes by recommending policy realignment between Nigeria’s National Drug Control Master Plan (2021–2025), the National Policy on Education (2013), and UNESCO’s ESD 2030 framework. Education, reconceptualized as liberation, habit-formation, and capability expansion, is presented as the most effective means of reclaiming the future for Wukari’s youth and beyond.