Egypt's anti-addiction fund has referred six school bus drivers to the Public Prosecution after they tested positive for hashish during screenings of 966 drivers in the first two weeks of the 2026/27 school year. The fund's director, Amr Othman, received the screening report, which covered several governorates. The screenings were conducted in collaboration with various government agencies, including the General Administration for Drug Control and the Ministry of Education.
The six drivers were referred on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, and the fund is coordinating with the Ministry of Education to dismiss them if their employment at schools is confirmed. The fund stressed that testing will continue throughout the school year and expand to other governorates. Screening teams will test drivers on school premises and refer those who test positive to prosecutors.
The Education Ministry has separately required regular drug testing for employees, including drivers, at private international schools. The fund urged families who suspect a school bus driver of drug use to call its 16023 hotline. Reports would prompt immediate, unannounced, and confidential testing, followed by legal action and referral to prosecutors where drug use is established.
The fund listed red eyes, dark circles under the eyes, aggressive behavior, poor balance, excessive speed, and unusually slow driving among possible warning signs of drug use. In the first five weeks of the 2024/25 school year, 17 school bus drivers tested positive among 2,608 screened and were referred to prosecutors. A separate fund report put the positive-test rate among drivers at 0.3 percent for the full 2022/23 school year.
The screenings form part of a broader prevention effort. At a July dialogue with the World Health Organization, Othman identified early detection and school programs as priorities. The fund also uses 16023 for treatment enquiries; hashish accounted for 63 percent of treatment requests recorded in the first five months of 2026.
The fund's efforts aim to ensure school bus drivers are not under the influence of drugs while transporting students. The Ministry of Education and other government agencies are working together to prevent drug use among school staff. The anti-addiction fund's 16023 hotline is available for families to report suspected cases of drug use.
In related efforts, Egyptian border guards have seized drugs and weapons worth EGP 40 billion in nationwide operations. Synthetic drugs dominate addiction cases in Egypt, according to the Drug Control Fund. The government continues to take measures to address the issue of drug use and addiction in the country.
Key points
- Six school bus drivers were referred to prosecutors for testing positive for hashish.
- The anti-addiction fund will continue testing drivers throughout the school year.
- The fund's 16023 hotline is available for families to report suspected cases of drug use.
