“Educational facilities have a critical role to play in prevention and management of HIV/Aids and drug abuse. Studies have linked higher levels of education with increased HIV/Aids awareness and knowledge alongside higher contraceptives use,” said Belio Kipsang, the Principal Secretary of Education Ministry.
He spoke in Nairobi during the launch of HIV/Aids advocacy toolkit for educationists.
The toolkit seeks to minimize stigma among HIV positive teachers, pupils and communities.
The education sector has borne the brunt of HIV infections with recent studies indicating that 15,000 teachers and 230,000 young learners are infected with the virus.
Kipsang regretted the Aids scourge has undermined provision of quality education in Kenya.
“Capacity of the education sector personnel to deliver quality education is reduced due to absenteeism and deaths resulting from HIV related complications,” Kipsang said.
Kenya has increased budgetary allocation to the education sector to accelerate attainment of vision 2030 goals of a healthy and prosperous society.
Kipsang noted that a reformed curriculum has focused on accessing reproductive health information to the youth to buffer them from HIV/Aids infection.
“Life skills curriculum has been implemented since 2008 in both primary and education schools as a standalone subject in which HIV/ Aids information and behavior change interventions are contained,” he told educationists.
The Education PS noted that the revised education sector policy on HIV/Aids has strengthened response to the disease in all counties.
“The policy identifies key areas like prevention, care, support and workplace response to the HIV/Aids. It roots for the formation of support groups to fight stigma and discrimination,” Kipsang said.
The ministry of education has partnered with UN agencies to implement a comprehensive program on HIV/Aids prevention and management targeting learners and teachers.
“We have scaled up awareness campaign in an effort to fight stigma and discrimination. Both teachers and pupils are encouraged to know their status and live positively,” he said.
The Kenyan network of HIV positive teachers has encouraged members to partner with grassroots communities and state agencies to fight stigma.
According to the network’s chairlady, Rosemary Lempaka, HIV positive teachers have lobbied for policy and legal reforms to eliminate stigma in the workplace.
“We are promoting disclosure of status among teachers while pushing for outlawing of practices that deny human rights to HIV positive members,” said Lempaka.
UNDP Kenya Country Director Alfredo Teixeira urged the government to deal with the structural issues that underpin determinants of HIV such as stigma and discrimination.
According to the UNDP, the HIV/AIDs epidemic remains a threat to sustainable development.
“The impact of HIV among teachers cannot be overemphasized,” he said. In countries with high HIV infection rates such as Kenya, this susceptibility is increasing noticeable.“As more and more teachers die, an already weakened educational system is left with the dual challenge of increasing numbers of pupils and decreasing number of teachers,” he said.
The country director noted that due to the unique custodian role of teachers in society, HIV positive teaches often experience high levels of stigma and discrimination within schools and outside school settings.
Stigma inhibits teachers from being tested for HIV and many of those who know their status fear the discrimination they might face. Teixeira said that teachers play a crucial role within the education system.
He noted that research has indicated that a nation can stop girls from becoming infected with HIV by keeping them longer in schools.“They are central to efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as education is central to efforts to eradicate poverty,” he said.
“Providing vulnerable families with cash transfers will also be of great assistance,” he said.
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