Abdul Wahab Khan
Panaji: A recent study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (2025) has highlighted the precarious state of tobacco control within Goa’s educational system, with the findings revealing that 90.4% of schools are failing to meet the high compliance standards set by the central government.
Of the 314 institutions surveyed, only 9.6% achieved a “high compliance” status, which requires a score of 90% or above on the official Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) scorecard.
Furthermore, only 33.8% of the schools reached the mandatory baseline score of 50 points, leaving a majority of the students potentially exposed to environments that do not fully discourage tobacco use.
Geographically, schools in South Goa outperformed those in the North, maintaining a 14.7% high compliance rate compared to a mere 3.5% in North Goa. Additionally, 40.4% of South Goa institutions secured the mandatory 50-point score, while that figure dropped to 25.9% in the North.
The data was gathered through a detailed cross-sectional study conducted between January and April 2022, covering approximately 17% of the state’s primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools.
Researchers utilised proportionate and convenience sampling and personally visited campuses to verify criteria such as signage, physical evidence of tobacco use (like discarded butts or spit marks) and awareness activities. In cases where the 100-yard tobacco-free zone was not clearly marked, Google Maps was used to measure distances and identify nearby vendors.
The study identified a distinct disparity between institution types: private schools demonstrated a 20.1% high compliance rate, whereas government-run schools reached only 3.2%. Researchers attributed this better performance to potentially stricter accreditation policies in private institutions. Conversely, government schools faced significant hurdles, including a lack of awareness regarding tobacco control and persistent funding shortages.
Systemic barriers to full compliance were also noted. While 67.8% of the schools displayed ‘Tobacco-Free Area’ signage on their premises, only 48.1% included the necessary contact information on those signs, and a mere 29.9% displayed posters regarding the harms of tobacco.
On a positive note, 81.1% of schools were free of tobacco vendors within a 100-yard radius, though institutions in commercial areas remained vulnerable. In 77.7% of the schools, there was no physical evidence of tobacco use on the premises.
The report further noted that many institutions struggled to organise mandatory tobacco-control activities such as seminars or role plays, citing crowded academic curricula and financial constraints.
To achieve a truly tobacco-free environment, researchers suggested a multi-sectoral approach involving collaboration between the health, education and law enforcement sectors. They urged the policymakers to provide schools with comprehensive programmes and increased financial support.
The research was conducted by a team from the Department of Public Health Dentistry at the Goa Dental College and Hospital, including Ridhima Gaunkar, Vinita Sanjeevan, Akshatha Gadiyar, Vinayak Kamath, Amita Kenkre Kamat, Apurva Prashant Deshpande and Fhelen Da Costa.
