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The South African Institute for Drug-free Sports says a worrying increase in the number of children using steroids and other drugs is the reason behind the implementation of a new testing program in schools.
The program will be launched in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday but will be implemented country wide.
SAIDS CEO Khalid Galant says schools will sign a contract with the Institute which will give them the right to test any pupil they suspect may be using drugs.
"This will be the first programme where they wont only be testing for steroids but it wont only be limited to athletes. The programme will be completely random it also had to be balance the requirements from the schools act and legislation" Galant said.
The programme will be launched at Grey High on Tuesday afternoon.
Grey's director of Pastoral care, Derryk Jordaan, says a number of schools from across the Eastern Cape are sending representatives.
Jordaan said he'd heard there would be workshops in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town which is why Grey offered to host a similar initiative in the Eastern Cape.
"It is something that is obviously starting to become more and more evident and something that we as a school are definitely wanting to do our bit to eradicate and put our finger on the pulse as to what exactly is happening out there, because I don't think we realise how enormous this problem is at the moment with steroids and school sport" Jordaan said.
