Summary of findings
In communities where adult HIV prevalence has fallen in recent years but is still high (14% in 2009-2011), 2% of school-aged children (aged 6-17 years) are HIV-positive, and 45% and 50%, respectively, of primary and secondary school-aged children are orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC). OVC in the catchment areas of schools with higher HIV-competence index scores were less likely to be behind in school (p=0.04). Children (including OVC) attending primary – but not secondary – schools with higher HIV-competence scores had improved wellbeing. Schools with large numbers of OVC in their student body and located in communities with high HIV prevalence were less successful at including and supporting the wellbeing of vulnerable children.
Study participants commonly recognised how HIV impacts on the daily school experiences of children. However, throughout the study it was clear that providing daily care and support for children takes time and energy, and teachers were already very busy with their traditional educational roles. Despite some examples of practice supporting children affected by HIV in the school setting, these tended to be acts of initiatives by individual teachers to support rather than uniform school responses. Across the study schools teachers had little or no awareness of AIDS
policies, strategies or resources in place at the schools to help and guide teachers through their daily encounter with children’s HIV related challenges. The study identified key themes fluencing the possibilities for schools in going beyond their primary educational role and play an active role in the prevention and mitigation of HIV. These included:
i) bridges and referral systems between schools and sources of support in their surrounding communities such as NGOs, health services, community groups, and church groups, ii) level of
open communication around HIV leading, HIV-related stigma and disclosure, iii) level of dialogue between teachers, community members, guardians and children to encourage better communication, understanding and collaboration in tackling children’s challenges, and iii) the level of attention, recognition and support for teachers to assist them helping vulnerable children in their classes.
One of the key lessons learned from both the qualitative and quantitative components of this study is that schools cannot stand alone in their encounters with children’s HIV-related challenges. Schools are greatly influenced by the context in which they are situated, and therefore wider supportive contexts for schools must be established - if teachers are to play a
role assisting in the prevention and mitigation of the impact of HIV and AIDS on children during the daily functions of schools.
A more detailed overview of study findings can be found in our stakeholders report and from published journal articles.
Study participants commonly recognised how HIV impacts on the daily school experiences of children. However, throughout the study it was clear that providing daily care and support for children takes time and energy, and teachers were already very busy with their traditional educational roles. Despite some examples of practice supporting children affected by HIV in the school setting, these tended to be acts of initiatives by individual teachers to support rather than uniform school responses. Across the study schools teachers had little or no awareness of AIDS
policies, strategies or resources in place at the schools to help and guide teachers through their daily encounter with children’s HIV related challenges. The study identified key themes fluencing the possibilities for schools in going beyond their primary educational role and play an active role in the prevention and mitigation of HIV. These included:
i) bridges and referral systems between schools and sources of support in their surrounding communities such as NGOs, health services, community groups, and church groups, ii) level of
open communication around HIV leading, HIV-related stigma and disclosure, iii) level of dialogue between teachers, community members, guardians and children to encourage better communication, understanding and collaboration in tackling children’s challenges, and iii) the level of attention, recognition and support for teachers to assist them helping vulnerable children in their classes.
One of the key lessons learned from both the qualitative and quantitative components of this study is that schools cannot stand alone in their encounters with children’s HIV-related challenges. Schools are greatly influenced by the context in which they are situated, and therefore wider supportive contexts for schools must be established - if teachers are to play a
role assisting in the prevention and mitigation of the impact of HIV and AIDS on children during the daily functions of schools.
A more detailed overview of study findings can be found in our stakeholders report and from published journal articles.