Teachers' perceptions towards the integration of aids education in public secondary schools in Ndaragwa division, Nyandarua district.

Abstract

Education plays a key role in establishing conditions that reduce HIV/AIDS transmission. The 1997 sessional paper No.4 on AIDS in Kenya, as a matter of policy stated that it would integrate AIDS education programmes into existing school curricula. The Kenya Aids Education Syllabus for Schools and Colleges was introduced in 2001. Since HIV/AIDS is a recent social occurrence, the purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of teachers towards Aids education in Ndaragwa division, Nyandarua district. The major factors considered were, the perceptions of teachers towards Aids education, the strategies that have been laid down to ensure integration, the resources in the schools, the constraints experienced and ways f overcoming implementation setbacks. The : study used the survey design and data was collected from 134 schoolteachers selected through stratified sampling of the schools. The instrument was piloted in two schools and reliability was established by use of the split half method, which had a reliability coefficient of 0.96. The questionnaire return rate was 83%. The data obtained was analysed and interpreted using descriptive statistics: frequencies, percentages and weighted means, tabulations The study established that :The teachers are relatively middle aged, most are married and they all have high academic qualifications, which are conducive to teaching AIDS education in secondary schools in the division. However there is gender imbalance in the distribution of teachers, The teachers' perceptions were in support of teaching AIDS education in schools. Teachers lacked the necessary preparation to teach the subject and neither did they have, relevant skills to help them cope with emerging issues related to HIV/AIDS epidemic. Majority of the teachers considered AIDS education as divorced from their traditional subjects; hence they considered time allocated for teaching inadequate to teach AIDS education. The schools lacked adequate supply of curriculum materials. It recommended that: In-service training of teachers is necessary in order to equip them with knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to teach AIDS education. AIDS education should be incorporated into the syllabus of various subjects for it to be taken seriously by teachers. Curriculum material for AIDS education should be provided in all school