NAMIBIA: Education sector badly affected by HIV/AIDS

Windhoek, 4 March 2003 (PlusNews) - "Pass with good grades, not with AIDS" is written with red letters on new rulers and diaries soon to be distributed in Namibian schools countrywide.

The message is part of an intensified HIV/AIDS campaign that minces no words and with good reason. Namibia risks losing the millions of dollars that the government and donors recently pumped into the training of teachers and the construction of schools because of the pandemic.

A new study released by the education authorities predicts that around 3,360 teachers, or 20 percent of Namibia's total teaching staff of 18,000 countrywide, could be lost due to AIDS-related illnesses by 2010.

The report was compiled following a survey of 103 primary schools, 51 combined schools and 24 secondary schools. The data was collected from school heads, guidance teachers and 734 Grade 10 learners.

Among the conclusions drawn from the survey was that HIV/AIDS would also impact negatively on the enrolment of children of school-going age, with new entrants expected to decrease by 14 percent in the next seven years.

The findings of the study surprised even the Namibian education authorities, who had previously painted a bleak picture of the impact of the disease but not to the extent revealed by the study.

Were it not for HIV/AIDS, it was estimated that just 860 teachers would have died by 2010. But the current estimates are that around one in seven educators were infected with HIV by the end of last year.

The levels reached one in four at Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Strip, in northwestern Namibia, which is regarded as the epicentre of the disease in the country.

"Evidence suggests increasing occurrence of illness and deaths among younger staff. Teacher losses averaged 1.5 percent over the last two years with a higher rate (2 percent) in the North," the report said.

However, the picture would improve if antiretroviral (ARVs), which can prolong the lives of HIV-infected people, were available, said senior education official Claudia Tjikuua.

"We must sort this problem [on the lack of ARVs] out. We need a plan on how to replenish the teachers. The ministry [of education], colleges, higher education institutions and other stakeholders must sort it out. The problem starts before the teachers die," she said.

Many schools reported absenteeism due to illness or funeral attendance as being a major and increasing problem, particularly in the northern parts of the country.

"Deaths and illness among [school] managers were not frequently reported. However, impacts of vacant management posts were reported to be particularly disruptive as they have multiplier effects," the report added.

The equally high number of deaths recorded among the general population was resulting in more and more orphans. The report indicated that half of all Namibia's orphans had lost their parents or guardians to AIDS-related illnesses.

Tjikuua said the number of AIDS orphans was "now nearing 40,000" and would reach 160,000 in the next 10 years. Officially, there are around 82,000 orphans in Namibia.

"There are strong indications that many orphans are at risk of dropping out of school, erratic attendance, poorer concentration and performance and emotional and behavioural disturbances," the report said.

It was noted that pupils affected by HIV/AIDS lacked sufficient food and money for school fees, uniforms and books, and were psychologically stressed.

The report called for a rapid roll out of an ARV drug programme to prolong the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and for the introduction of HIV prevention skills programmes for educators and trainers.

Theme (s): Other,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]