Educators confront impact of AIDS
As the global pandemic of AIDS becomes entrenched in nations large and small, we are gradually learning that the disease has institutional implications that go far beyond the field of public health. Today the educational community got together to see how they are affected and what role they can play in the anti-AIDS effort.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Since the first Belizean AIDS case was diagnosed in 1986, the disease has spread steadily throughout the population. Most of those patients are between the ages of fifteen and forty-four years old, the most productive sector of Belize.
Shirlene Tablada, Co-ordinator, SHAPES
“Well the reality of the situation is that HIV/AIDS has come home to the Ministry of Education as one of the areas that really needs to be focused on. We have cases where our teachers are HIV positive, and as well as our students. And even for those who aren’t, we have some that are directly affected in the case that their parents, the student’s parents, are HIV positive and teachers may have spouse or other close family members that are HIV positive.”
There are no available statistics that tell us just how HIV/AIDS has impacted education, but the Ministry of Education has embarked on a series of training workshops for secondary and primary school principals to prevent the disease from crippling one of the most essential sectors in the country.
Shirlene Tablada
“It is a priority for the Ministry of Education, because we realise that this has some serious implications for us. And if the Ministry of Education does not respond and step up their measures towards prevention, it could become a very serious issue for us in the Ministry of Education.”
The principals will be trained on how to effectively use their curriculum to make both students and staff more aware of the disease. The sessions will be conducted by Peace Corps health specialist for the Inner America Pacific Region, Terri Elders.
Terri Elders, Peace Corps Health Specialist
“What we are hoping to do with the principals is to establish a warm and receptive climate in the schools to talk about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and how young people can protect themselves from it.”
One preventative measure that is not promoted in most secondary schools, but will be discussed at the workshop is the use of condoms. Principal Kathleen Flowers says, while they encourage their students to abstain from sex, she admits that young people are sexually active and therefore need to protect themselves.
Kathleen Flowers, Principal, Gwen Lizarraga High School
“That’s one of the messages that we send. Even though the predominant is abstinence, we don’t fool ourselves and think that the children don’t engage in sexual activity, we know the statistics tell that story. So we do promote the use of condoms at Gwen Lizarraga High School.”
The principals say they do have a number of programmes at their schools to help students and staff talk about the disease.
Michael Price, Principal, St. Michael’s College
“We have a programme that we call personal and social development programme. It is a non-examined course, but it’s done with every class in the school, which covers areas like this that we are going to be dealing with today.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What is it you are hoping to get from this workshop?”
Michael Price
“Well for one, to get a better idea of what the problem is, the extent of the problem. And secondly you know in what way or ways schools like ours can help to deal with the problem.”
The first workshop took place in Belize City. Other training sessions will be conducted in the districts. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
The Ministry of Education says there are plans to hold similar workshops for general managers, classroom teachers and school counsellors.
