SCHOOL CARE AND LEARNERS AFFECTED BY HIV/ AIDS. A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN MUTHESYA SUB LOCATION, NDITHINI DIVISION YATTA DISTRICT, EASTERN PROVINCE KENYA

ABSTRACT

A qualitative study was carried out with the intention of investigating

the care which schools have provided to learners affected by

HIV/ AIDS. The following objectives guided the study; to find out if the

teachers had any knowledge about the children affected by

HIV/AIDS; to find out if teachers were also aware of the challenges

that these learners face; to find out if these teachers were aware of the

educational problems which learners face due to HIV/ AIDS; and to find

out if the schools had put measures in place to support learners

affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. A population of 60 teachers was

randomly sampled. Using an interview schedules, relevant data were

obtained from the teachers. Findings revealed that teachers were

aware of the challenges that these learners faced at home and at

schools, but were not fully aware that they existed in categories. It

was also established that these teachers did not fully understand some

other social challenges which learners faced and the consequences

thereafter. The most disturbing situation was that schools were not

prepared to care for children affected by HIV/ AIDS as evident from

lack of policies on the same. Apart from feeding programmes and

offering counseling services to these children almost all of the schools

did not have formal regulations to protect the right of children living

affected by HIV/AIDS. It was therefore recommended that school

formulate policies on HIV I AIDS and special programs to cater for

these children. It was also suggested that teachers receive some

relevant training in skills that could help them handle HIV/ AIDS

learners. It was also suggested that schools put in place a benevolent

fund to cater for the material needs of such learners.

Xl