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Gender Mainstreaming in HIV/AIDS Seminar Proceedings
South African National HIV Prevalence, HIV Incidence, Behaviour and Communication Survey, 2005
Workplace Policies in Public Education A review focusing on HIV/AIDS

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In 2002, the Human Sciences Research Council was commissioned by the WK Kellogg Foundation to develop and implement a five-year intervention project focusing on orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in southern Africa. In collaboration with several partner organizations, the project currently focuses on how children, families and communities in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe are coping with the impact of HIV/AIDS. The aim of the project is to develop models of best practise so as to enhance and improve support structures for OVC in the southern African region as a whole.

Analysing the extent and severity of HIV/AIDS among educators without looking at the broader context within which schools operate, provides only a partial understanding of the immense challenges facing the education sector in South Africa. This study examines material issues affecting the quality of teaching and learning in our schools, both within and external to the classroom environment. The findings reveal significant disparities in conditions, both within and between provinces. Compounded by the effects of ill-health related to HIV/AIDS, these disparities are likely to hamper any efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning in South African public schools, and therefore require serious attention.

Education is an essential ingredient of the socio-economic development of any country, and educators are a vital part of any nation's educational system. If educators are sick, or absent from school, or leave the profession, the nation stands to lose. Yet the health status of our educators may go unknown. Prior to this report, there were no primary level South African national data assessing the ill-health and attrition of educators. Rumours about their ill-health and reasons for attrition abounded. It is for this reason that the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) decided to commission the HSRC-led consortium to conduct this nation-wide research assessing the health status and attrition of our educators, with a focus on HIV/AIDS and its determinants.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa is severe and it is to be expected that various sectors in South African society, including the education sector, will be affected negatively. It is well known that those living with the virus are able to continue being productive for years. However, once illness sets in and the immune system is compromised, absenteeism for both short and long periods may become common and without antiretroviral therapy (ARV) intervention, many will die. In our schools, the illness and death of one educator has serious implications for other educators, the school and learners. Increased workload, loss of skills and experience, overcrowded classes and learner adjustment problems are just some of the consequences that can be expected.

In 2002, the Human Sciences Research Council was commissioned by the WK Kellogg Foundation to develop and implement a five-year intervention project focusing on orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in southern Africa. In collaboration with several partner organizations, the project currently focuses on how children, families and communities in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe are coping with the impact of HIV/AIDS. The aim of the project is to develop models of best practise so as to enhance and improve support structures for OVC in the southern African region as a whole.

One of the key determinants for the loss of public educators in South Africa is mortality due to AIDS. This report presents an estimate of the number of educators who died from AIDS in 2004, including the projected distribution of AIDS deaths by age group.

Policy governs many aspects of the professional lives of educators. It is also central to their and the sector's response to crises such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As such policy can contribute directly to curtailing the attrition of educators, by encouraging and providing protection against threats such as HIV/AIDS, and by creating a positive and supportive working environment. This study examines workplace and HIV/AIDS policies from the Department of Education (DoE) and the HIV/AIDS policies of two trade unions, as part of a broader study looking at the attrition of educators. The policies themselves were found to be well written and if implemented, would create a good environment for educators. A number of successes were noted, particularly in terms of the transformation of education structures. The findings suggest that problems are centered on a lack of policy implementation, resulting from disjunctures between the national office and provincial and district offices, as well as a lack of resources and inadequate planning and preparation for implementation.