Alcohol and drug abuse is a global challenge, which has detrimental effects on the health, wealth and security of nations. Its impact is being felt in schools in South Africa and is compromising the quality of teaching and learning and the safety of learning spaces. This strategy was developed to provide comprehensive guidance to the basic education sector in South Africa with regards to the prevention and management of alcohol and drugs in schools. It was developed in line with the Education Delivery Agreement aimed at improving the quality of basic education, as well as Schooling 2025 and Action Plan to 2014, whose major goals are improvement in learning outcomes and improved access to, and retention in, schooling. Alcohol and drug use, which is associated with poor scholastic outcomes and drop-out from schooling, is a barrier to achieving these goals.