Head teachers’ view on HIV/AIDS
AS part of the commemorative activities for the 2009 World Aids day, <i>The New Vision</i> sought views from headteachers of various schools on how to manage the disease in schools.
Sarah Serunjogi
Head teacher Atlas High
School, Gayaza
- “We advise our students but not on a serious level. We usually invite people to talk to our students about HIV/AIDS at least once in a month.’
Oscar Semuwaya
Head teacher Taibah School
- “We invite different people to sensitise both students and staff. Our school also has a pastoral curriculum which includes HIV/AIDS as well as formal sex education. I am confident that we are doing enough to create HIV/AIDS awareness among our students.â€
John Muyingo, the head teacher, Uganda Martyrs Secondary School Namugongo
- “The school adopted a confidentiality strategy to provide a comfortable learning environment for the students. Although parents are encouraged to share their children’s health details, it is not mandatory.
“A file for a particular child is opened, detailing when they should take their medication. It is only the head teacher and the school nurse who are in the know.â€
He says teachers are not expected to insist on giving heavy punishments to students who say they are not well, or ask details of their illness. No details are given for general consumption. They are supposed to be sent to the head teacher.
“The school nurse keeps their drugs to make sure they do not forget to take them. If a special diet is required, it is organised under a special arrangement.â€
With the increasing prices of food, however, the parents gladly step in to supplement their children’s diet.
Muyingo calls for more counselling in schools to ensure drug adherence.
One teacher (name withheld), says:
- “Parents do not honour appointments for dialogue. On the other hand, teachers fear asking questions or even suggest an HIV test when a child falls sick for long they do not want to impose their opinion.â€
Hajat Aisha Lubega, head teacher Nabisunsa Girls’ School
- The school does not have a clear HIV policy because the affected parents do not feel comfortable discussing the issue.
“When a student is taken ill, they are treated. We do not have a special policy for students with HIV. We provide supplementary tests when a student fails to sit for the end of term exams with her classmates,†she says.
Like other head teachers, Lubega faces the problem of parents not revealing their children’s sero status, yet this helps such students when allocating chores or punishments.
Head teacher Atlas High
School, Gayaza
- “We advise our students but not on a serious level. We usually invite people to talk to our students about HIV/AIDS at least once in a month.’
Oscar Semuwaya
Head teacher Taibah School
- “We invite different people to sensitise both students and staff. Our school also has a pastoral curriculum which includes HIV/AIDS as well as formal sex education. I am confident that we are doing enough to create HIV/AIDS awareness among our students.â€
John Muyingo, the head teacher, Uganda Martyrs Secondary School Namugongo
- “The school adopted a confidentiality strategy to provide a comfortable learning environment for the students. Although parents are encouraged to share their children’s health details, it is not mandatory.
“A file for a particular child is opened, detailing when they should take their medication. It is only the head teacher and the school nurse who are in the know.â€
He says teachers are not expected to insist on giving heavy punishments to students who say they are not well, or ask details of their illness. No details are given for general consumption. They are supposed to be sent to the head teacher.
“The school nurse keeps their drugs to make sure they do not forget to take them. If a special diet is required, it is organised under a special arrangement.â€
With the increasing prices of food, however, the parents gladly step in to supplement their children’s diet.
Muyingo calls for more counselling in schools to ensure drug adherence.
One teacher (name withheld), says:
- “Parents do not honour appointments for dialogue. On the other hand, teachers fear asking questions or even suggest an HIV test when a child falls sick for long they do not want to impose their opinion.â€
Hajat Aisha Lubega, head teacher Nabisunsa Girls’ School
- The school does not have a clear HIV policy because the affected parents do not feel comfortable discussing the issue.
“When a student is taken ill, they are treated. We do not have a special policy for students with HIV. We provide supplementary tests when a student fails to sit for the end of term exams with her classmates,†she says.
Like other head teachers, Lubega faces the problem of parents not revealing their children’s sero status, yet this helps such students when allocating chores or punishments.