Abstract
M.Ed.
HIV/AIDS needs to be treated as a national emergency and all organs of the society
must be fully engaged in the struggle against it, learners in particular. Some are nursing
their dying parents, while others are taking care of their siblings as they face death. So
it will be the schools that can and must play an important role in helping to empower the
learners with the necessary skills to be ready to meet whatever challenge they may have
to face in life.
Of all the learning areas, it is through the Life Orientation learning area that learners can
be best empowered. Most of the problems can be faced and solved with effort.
Learners need to have information about HIV/AIDS presented to them in a way which is
appropriate to their age in the context of Life Orientation.
Children generally know very little about HIV/AIDS and parents do not, or cannot give
their children the necessary information and guidance about the disease (van Niekerk,
1991:80). Thus it is the duty of the school to fill the gap.
Women and girls are the most vulnerable, as most of them are exposed to abuse and
violence, particularly sexual abuse. They are financially and materially dependent on
men, which means that they often cannot decide when, with whom and in what
circumstances to have sex (Nursing Update, 2000).
Schools can make an important contribution towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS. In the
absence of a cure, education is the only defence we have (van Niekerk, 1991:80).
Almost every young person attends the school, so education offers a great opportunity
to discuss the disease, and help the young people to protect themselves from becoming
infected, getting sick and dying.
Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg