The Western Cape's Minister of Education, Mr André Gaum, has announced major plans to expand the province's HIV/AIDS programme in schools in 2002.

Special education and training programmes will start in primary and secondary schools, and the Western Cape Education Department will initiate a project to train about 5000 peer educators in secondary schools.

The Premier of the Western Cape, Mr Peter Marais, said in his inaugural speech earlier this month that the fight against HIV/AIDS would receive the Cabinet's highest priority. The Cabinet and provincial Heads of Departments confirmed this priority at a Bosberaad earlier this week.

Mr Gaum described the role of the WCED in tackling HIV/AIDS as mainly preventative, with its primary aim being to delay sexual debut among young people.

"The programme is based on the curriculum and forms an integral part of the teaching and learning programme in schools. Implementation is compulsory. Schools must allocate half an hour a week to the Life Orientation learning area which deals with the issues tackled by the programme."

"The programme deals with skills and values covered by the Life Orientation curriculum. These include problem-solving, decision-making, assertiveness, negotiation, the development of self-esteem and respect for others, which help to promote a young person's own sexual health and future, and respect for the well-being of others."

Mr Gaum described the programme as culturally-sensitive, gender-sensitive and age-appropriate.

"Contrary to popular misconceptions, the programme does not encourage promiscuity, and does not deal with sexual biology and 'condomisation' at an inappropriately early age. Schools will provide parents with the opportunity of reviewing the programme and learner materials, and of discussing concerns prior to roll-out of the programme," he said.

"These initiatives are crucial, given the challenges facing us. While the Western Cape has the lowest rate of infection, this rate is increasing. The problem of HIV/AIDS is compounded by our high incidence of tuberculosis. We must also address the problem of teenage pregnancies and venereal disease among teenagers."

Key elements of the WCED's programme for 2002 include the following:

• The WCED will complete training of primary school teachers to enable them to implement the HIV/AIDS and Sexuality Life-skills programme. The department has already trained more than 6 000 teachers in 785 primary schools in the province for the programme. Trained teachers will implement the programme from the start of the 2002 school year. The department expects to complete teacher training in all 1 006 public ordinary schools by September 2002.

• The WCED will provide sufficient learner support materials to meet the requirements of every primary school teacher and learner at the outset of the academic year. These materials will be available in Afrikaans, English and Xhosa.

• The programme will be extended to Grades 8 to 9 in 2002 (and Grades 10 to 11 in 2003). This will include provision of learner support materials. The WCED plans to train between two and five teachers at every secondary school in the province during 2002.

• The department will initiate a programme to train up to 5 000 peer educators in about 120 schools, targeting 40 to 50 learners in each school, in line with international best practice. International research has found that teenagers learn more about HIV/AIDS and sexuality issues from their peers than from teachers, parents and media. This approach has been particularly successful in Uganda. Working with schools and NGOs, the WCED will identify peer leaders in secondary schools who will be trained to provide correct information to their fellow learners. Research has found that education provided by teachers in the classroom is the most appropriate and effective approach in primary schools.

• Schools will be encouraged to extend these initiatives to the rest of the school community, including parents and non-educator staff. Each school will have access to a small discretionary budget to allow for this.

"The WCED will do everything possible to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS within our school communities, for which we are responsible. We are working closely with the provincial Department of Health in this regard," Mr Gaum said.