HIV interventions in Education Systems

Abstract

The chapter reviews efforts to mainstream HIV/AIDS interventions in education programs in order to integrate prevention and mitigation efforts in education policies, programs and projects in hyper--endemic countries. effects of HIV/AIDS epidemic on educational systems are examined. Ways in which the interventions can be mainstreamed within the infrastructure of Sub-Saharan African institutions of learning are elucidated. Discrepancies between governments' use of good practices for mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in education sector, particularly attempts to implement prevention programs and curriculum changes and persisting bureaucratic, cultural and religious barriers that impede the scaling-up and effectiveness of the programs are explored. Although some countries have made progress in integrating prevention and mitigation programs most ministries of education have failed to take decisive measures necessary to protect educational institutions from HIV. There is however need for further studies to address these and other difficulties encountered in mainstreaming efforts.