The Philippi East School Clinic of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is about to host an HIV/AIDS Lifeskills Sexuality Education Training Conference which starts on Friday 9 March and continues for the next two days and the following weekend as well.

The Philippi East School Clinic, which forms part of the Metropole South Region of the WCED, will be hosting an HIV/AIDS Lifeskills Sexuality Education Training Conference for educators and parents involved with schools in Philippi, Crossroads and Guguletu.

Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in these areas, this initiative reflects an intensified commitment by the WCED to fast-tracking the implementation of the National policy on HIV/AIDS in schools. In planning and organising the event, the Clinic has worked in partnership with the Provincial Health Department, the NAMES Project, PWAs (people living with AIDS) and the Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa .

The aims of the conference are: to promote awareness; to provide information; to promote the values of caring, remembrance, positive living and sexuality, non-discrimination and taking responsibility; and to develop the appropriate skills for teaching lifeskills sexuality education as part of the normal curriculum in the classroom. About 250 educators and parent members of school governing bodies are expected to attend the training conference, which will occupy two full weekends, and the considerable sacrifice of time by all who participate is deeply appreciated.

The launching of the conference on Friday 9th March 2001 promises to be a colourful event, with a school choir in attendance and a full display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Registration will start at noon and at 1 p.m. the MEC for Education, Ms Helen Zille, will deliver the keynote address. Lunch will follow that, and after lunch the conference will begin its first session of training as a prelude to the main training process, which will be spread over the next two days and the following weekend.

The details of the launch follow. The news media are very welcome to attend it, and 12.30 would be a good time to arrive, so that there is time to look at the display and listen to the choir before the keynote address is given.