In 2005, African education ministers highlighted the lack of information about education sector responses to HIV and AIDS. In response, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) report on evidence and examples of good practice from across the continent.

HIV represents a direct threat to achieving the goal of ‘Education for All’. The epidemic has cut the supply of teachers and has made millions of children orphans. However, education remains one of the most effective weapons against the disease. Good practice in the education sector must include HIV prevention, social support for affected teachers and learners and protection of the sector’s capacity to provide quality education.

The report includes a review of published literature and the findings of a regional workshop held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2006. It analyses the latest evidence covering different aspects of HIV and AIDS in African education sectors, including:

• mass campaigns for HIV prevention, education and advocacy
• feminisation of the epidemic
• HIV and AIDS education in schools, including life skills
• programmes for out-of-school youth
• teachers infected or affected by HIV
• community responses, care and support, especially for orphans.

The report summarises the inputs, discussions and conclusions of the workshop. For example:

• Increased recognition of HIV and AIDS in the education sector helps to improve HIV-related knowledge, practices and attitudes, reduce HIV prevalence rates and support orphans and affected children.
• There are pockets of excellence in all countries, but implementation is patchy and often overlooks non-teaching staff and parents, higher education and pre-school sectors, out-of-school youth and programme monitoring and evaluation.
• Effective life skills programmes are not implemented uniformly and condoms remain controversial despite evidence that they reduce risk.

The analysis shows that there is no scope for complacency and that programme implementation must aim for maximum impact. Much work is still needed, particularly in scaling up effective programmes, caring for infected and affected teachers, and recognising links between the education sector and communities affected by the epidemic.

Recommendations for education policymakers in Africa include:

• sharing good practices and learning materials on HIV between countries in the region
• developing curricula based on human rights, empowerment, sustainable development, social support, and a protective and safe teaching and learning environment
• reviewing training programmes so that every teacher is competent in life skills and HIV and AIDS education by 2015
• involving trade unions and other teachers’ organisations in strategic planning and implementation
• spotting and helping vulnerable young people before they ‘drop out’ and reintegrating out-of-school youth
• uniting government agencies, parents, teachers, communities and civil society to improve protection, access, and retention of orphans and vulnerable children in education.

Source(s):
‘Education Sector Responses to HIV and AIDS: Learning from Good Practices in Africa’, Commonwealth Secretariat: London, by Laetitia Rispel, 2006

Funded by: Commonwealth Secretariat

id21 Research Highlight: 17 September 2007

Further Information:
Jyotsna Jha
Education Section
Social Transformation Programmes Division
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5HX, UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 77476553
Fax: +44 (0)20 77476287
Contact the contributor: j.jha@commonwealth.int

The Commonwealth Secretariat

Other related links:
'Flexible education tackles HIV in southern Africa'

'Education systems fail to meet the HIV/AIDS challenge'

'A safe place? Tackling sexual violence in the education sector'

'Smarter and safer – education protects against HIV in rural Uganda'

'Gender equality and HIV and AIDS in Uganda'

'Dealing with HIV and AIDS: Solutions in ordinary people's actions' id21 insights 64