The Preparedness of national secondary school teachers in Nairobi Province to implement HIV/AIDS Education curriculum

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the preparedness of HIV/AIDS 'carrier subject' teachers from National Secondary Schools in Nairobi province to implement the HIV/AIDS Education curriculum. The study mainly investigates their HIV/AIDS knowledge level and attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education. It further investigated whether the subjects the teacher are teaching, gender, religious affiliation and the number of HIV/AIDS in-service training courses attended influence the teachers' HIV/AIDS level of knowledge and their attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education. The teachers' access to HIV/AIDS teaching/learning resources and the problems faced in the implementation of HIV/AIDS Education curriculum are also investigated. The teachers' research questionnaire in appendix A was used to obtain the required data. Seventy-eight teachers responded. Eighteen of these were male while 60 were female. The data obtained was coded before it was analysed using SPSS. Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, One-Way ANOVA test and T-test were used to test the research hypotheses at .05 level of significance. Knowledge on IIIV/AIDS was found to be generally high with the respondents scoring a mean score of 77.8% in the knowledge test. On average the respondents had a moderately positive attitude towards HJV/AIDS Education. Social Education and Ethics, Biology, Geography and Religious Education subject teachers had the necessary knowledge and attitudes to qualify these subjects as the most suitable HIV/AIDS Education carrier subjects.

A significant relationship existed between HIV/AJDS level of knowledge and the attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education. The study also revealed that there was a significant difference in the HIV/AIDS level of knowledge of teachers who were teaching the different HIV/AIDS carrier subjects. There was however no significant difference in the attitudes towards HIV/AIDS Education of teachers teaching the different HIV/AIDS carrier subjects. There was no significant relationship between the HIV/AIDS level of knowledge and the teachers' gender, religious affiliation and the number of in service courses attended. There was also no significant relationship between the teachers' attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education and gender, religious affiliation and the number of in-service courses the teachers had attended. Findings from this study led to a conclusion that the HIV/AIDS carrier subject teachers are generally well knowledgeable on HIV/AIDS issues. They also have the necessary attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education. The teachers however need to be trained adequately on the use of integration and infusion method in the teaching of HIV/AIDS Education. The study made the following recommendations: I) All HIV/AIDS carrier subject teachers should be given meaningful training on the use of integration and infusion method in the teaching of HIV/AIDS Education. 2) The government should provide funds in its yearly financial budget, which will be used to purchase HIV I AIDS learning/teaching materials since many teachers do not have access to these materials. 3) Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) should liase with book publishers to ensure that HIV/AIDS Education textbooks are well synchronised with the syllabus. 4) Social Education and Ethics (SEE), which is currently being phased out should be retained in the curriculum and be made compulsory in form 1 and 2. This is because many teachers named it as the most appropriate HIV/AIDS Education carrier subject. Furthermore SEE teachers had the most positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS Education.