"We are teaching according to reality" South African teachers' approach on the impacts on the HIV and AIDS in education

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this Minor Field study is to investigate how South African teachers approach the impacts of HIV and AIDS in their daily professional work. I also want to highlight the complexity in teaching about a subject surrounded by social and cultural factors causing negative stigma and discrimination. Central questions in the study are: - How do teachers teach about HIV and AIDS, sexuality and relationships? - What problems and difficulties do they experience? - Which are their views on the cause of HIV and AIDS and related problems? - What do they think needs to be done to improve the current sitation, in school as well as in their surrounding society?

Method To carry out this study I have used a triangulation of qualitative methods. Observations, document studies, informal dialogues and study visits are part of the ethnographic method which helped me understand and gather information about the South African context. Six semi-structured open-ended interviews were used to gain deeper insight in the teachers' situation, their opinions and views.

Results The findings on the South African context concentrate mainly on poverty, social and cultural aspects concerning sex, gender relations, stigmatization and ignorance. The interview results show that teachers use a variety of methods to approach HIV and AIDS in their teaching. They experience difficulties in many aspects and see immorality and carelessness as major causes of the epidemic's spread. Ideas on what needs to be done to change the situation varies from new approaches in education and a new mentality to firm management from the government, a change in legislation and education in a broader sense to reach adults and people with low education as well. The general approach is to teach according to what there is, the reality, accepting the circumstances. HIV and AIDS is one out of many difficult problems that the South African teachers need to handle.