A Guide to PIASCY Handbooks for Primary School Teachers

Abstract

In Uganda, there are a significant number of learners in schools which is infected with HIV at infancy. Some of these learners are on treatment, while some may not be on treatment. Some are sexually active while others are not. There is need to provide clear messages to all the learners about HIV, as many of them lack complete knowledge on how HIV is transmitted or can be prevented. Teachers in Uganda have a great opportunity to support learners to avoid infection. They also have an opportunity to identify learners that may be affected by HIV so that they can be supported and stigma can be avoided within the school setting. Teachers should emphasize to learners that:  HIV is still real;  There is still no cure despite the successes in HIV treatment;  Staying in school and receiving education can reduce the chances of getting infected;  They need to abstain from sex until marriage. Due to the changing nature of the HIV epidemic, this PIASCY Guide has been revised to enhance and update teachers’ knowledge and counseling skills in HIV so that they can effectively support children in reducing HIV related risks. The Guide will also enable teachers to handle the current challenges faced by children in dealing with the effects of HIV and AIDS. There are already several materials developed under the PIASCY Primary Education programme providing general knowledge and skills on HIV counseling. It was realized that teachers needed more guidance on how to support children, particularly those affected by and infected with HIV. To that effect, this Guide was developed to complement the utilization of the existing PIASCY materials. As teachers utilize this manual, they will realize that new information and activities have been included. Some sections have been updated and other sections require the teachers to refer to the earlier developed PIASCY books for Primary Education (PE) to obtain comprehensive content and details