HIV/AIDS and Education in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Social Justice Perspective.

Nduri, Angaga Oscar (2015) HIV/AIDS and Education in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Social Justice Perspective. Masters thesis, Loyola College (Autonomous).

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Abstract

Since 1986, when the first HIV/AIDS case was reported in Sub-Sahara Africa, its rapid spread has severed irreparably societal structures. Key among the manifestations of this fracturing is the ubiquitous phenomenon of orphans, which is characterized as follows: ⦁ Children whose parents, in spite of being alive, are incapable of running family responsibilities and instead require their full-time care ⦁ Children who lose one or both parents, worse still, closest family members, who would have cared for them ⦁ Children who lose teachers ⦁ Children playing parental responsibilities thus missing out childhood ⦁ Exploitation of children owing to their vulnerability The impact of HIV/AIDS in a number of African educational systems has been catastrophic. It has led to many deaths of teachers, compromising the quality of education. In a situation where teacher-students ratio is low, individualized attention is rendered impossible, compounding the problems of weak students and those traumatized by the loss of their loved ones at a tender age. Secondly, death of teachers handling subjects like mathematics and natural sciences complicates learning since it is hard to replace them owing to huge financial costs incurred while training such specialists. Thirdly, the educators on their part, lack the skills necessary for teaching HIV/AIDS courses, yet they are tasked with the responsibility of facilitating life skills programs. Moreover, the prevailing educational environments are not conducive for HIV infected teachers, who need counselling services. In order to address the issues highlighted above, there is a need for a revolutionary approach to education as a whole. This is all the more necessary considering the fact that as we speak, education stands out as the only ‘social vaccine’ to HIV/AIDS pandemic. In order to mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS, education should not be restricted to what takes place within the narrow confines of schools. Instead, it should enhance teaching/learning processes by incorporating the interests of the various sectors of the society such as economics, culture, politics and religious world views. It achieves such a goal by bringing on board experts in various disciplines, teachers and learners, creating room for critical reflection on HIV/AIDS and an openness to embrace new approaches, while discarding redundant strategies. It is against this background, that this work makes a case for a holistic education. This is to be achieved by borrowing the educational concepts of Paulo Freire, refining them with a view to developing a system that leads to a complete development of the human person psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and physically.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BJ Ethics
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	JHI Africa
Date Deposited:	22 May 2015 12:01
Last Modified:	22 May 2015 12:35
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/179

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