1. BACKGROUND

The WCED is committed to using its position to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS and its transmission, and to help change the attitudes of young people so as to inhibit the spread of the epidemic. This will be done mainly through formal class teaching, but also through extra-curricular activities and other informal initiatives.

Teaching HIV/AIDS sexuality and life skills within the curriculum is neither an additional nor an optional activity. It is an integral part of the prescribed national curriculum. Its implementation is thus mandatory in all schools of the Western Cape. Therefore, since HIV/AIDS life skills education must be implemented through formal, curriculum-based, classroom teaching, the training of teachers is a major component of the HIV/AIDS Programme.

Given the above, it is imperative that the teachers of learners in special schools with severe intellectual disabilities and autism also receive HIV/AIDS training, and that they are also assisted to integrate HIV/AIDS and life skills education into the curriculum in a way that is relevant to these learners at special schools.


2. THE TRAINERS

Training Workshops Unlimited (TWU), who have been appointed to conduct teacher training and development for special schools in the Western Cape, is an organisation affiliated to the Cape Mental Health Society who, in turn, are actively involved in various communities across the Peninsula. TWU already has experience in conducting training courses on basic life skills, advanced life skills, work skills, specific career skills and job coaching for persons with intellectual disabilities.

The management and staff of TWU have done extensive research to enable them to develop an HIV/AIDS and Sexuality Programme appropriate to various age groups, levels of functioning and cultures within South Africa. They are, therefore, well qualified to render this service on behalf of the WCED.


3. TRAINING PROGRAMME AND RESOURCE MATERIALS

A number of training workshops have already been undertaken during 2005 and 2006. A final training course will now be conducted in Worcester (venue to be confirmed) from 10 to 12 January 2007. A total of 30 teachers can be accommodated (two teachers per phase per school). This is of particular relevance to those schools that have not yet had staff attend any of the training sessions thus far.

The training programme will be aimed at equipping teachers to teach HIV/AIDS and Sexuality Education, to support and educate parents and to act as school HIV co-ordinators.

The programme will be aligned with the key outcomes of the NCS for mainstream schools. Educators and learners will be supplied (at no cost to the school) with learning and teaching support material (LTSM) and a training kit. The kit includes anatomically correct dolls and a board game. The material is available in all 3 official languages and will be distributed to all special schools in 2007.


4. LEARNER AND EDUCATOR SUPPORT MATERIAL (LTSM)

The school's LTSM requirements must be ordered by completing the attached requisition form and faxing it to Ms A du Toit at fax no. 021 - 467 2127 or 021- 425 7465 by 31 October 2006.


5. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The HIV/AIDS Conditional Grant has made funds available to cover all costs incurred for this HIV/AIDS programme. These costs include the following:

  • Catering

  • Accommodation at DPSA tariffs (accommodation to be arranged and paid for by the delegates and claims forwarded to the WCED's HIV/AIDS Unit)

  • Transport at DPSA tariffs

All claims must be sent to the following address:

HIV/AIDS Programme Unit
Western Cape Education Department 
18th Floor 
Golden Acre Building
Private Bag X9114
Cape Town
8000

For any further information on the financial implications, please contact one of the following persons at the HIV/AIDS Programme Unit at Head Office:

Mr Johan Keyzer (tel. 021- 467 2126) 
Ms Angelique du Toit (tel. 021- 467 2101)
6. REGISTRATION

The process for the registration of teachers for training will shortly be communicated to schools by Training Workshop Unlimited.

As some teachers from special schools have already attended this training course (it has been conducted a number of times since February 2006), an additional opportunity is now being offered to those schools that have not yet had two teachers per phase trained. Should the principals of such schools wish additional staff to be trained, they are encouraged to take this opportunity to register those teachers.

Please contact Ms Angelique du Toit (tel. 021 467 2124) should you have any enquiries of a general nature or need further information regarding registration.

Your support for this essential training will be greatly appreciated.



SIGNED: M.J. THERON
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2006:10:23

Requisition form  (size: 8 KB)