1. The Western Cape Education Department wishes to bring to the attention of all teachers, learners and parents that, in collaboration with the Department of Health and other partners, we will be participating in the National Schools HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign.

2. The voluntary HIV counselling and testing will be offered to schools as part of a larger health- screening package which includes the following:

  • HIV screening
  • Visual screening
  • Hearing screening
  • TB screening
  • STI screening
  • BMI (body mass index), including weight and height
3. The Schools HCT Campaign will focus on secondary schools, where the Department of Health will conduct the testing. The WCED will be rolling out the Schools HCT Campaign in the following way:
3.1 All secondary schools will receive resource packs which will give information about how this campaign will be conducted at schools, as well as a list of alternative testing venues.
3.2 All testing will be done after school hours, on weekends and during the school holidays.
3.3 Schools that choose to have the health screening done at their school must complete the attached application form and send it to the WCED's HIV/AIDS Life Skills Unit.
3.4 The WCED HIV/AIDS Life Skills Unit will then liaise with the Department of Health on the school's behalf.
3.5 All secondary schools will encourage learners, teachers and parent communities to know their HIV status and to take proactive steps towards a healthy lifestyle, irrespective of HIV status. Teen pregnancy and drug and alcohol abuse must also be included in this advocacy.
3.6 The WCED will continue with this advocacy long after the campaign has ended as HCT is a positive lifestyle choice and is an integral part of preventative life-skills education across the curriculum.

4. The Schools HCT Campaign promotes healthy lifestyles and provides interventions that prevent new infections among young people. We look forward to schools responding positively to this wonderful health promoting opportunity.

5. All enquiries are to be directed to the HIV/AIDS Programme Manager, Loretta Erasmus- Arendse, at e-mail address loerasmu@pgwc.gov.za or tel. no. 021 467 2127.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2011:02:15

School hiv counselling and testing campaign application form  (size: 10 KB)