HIV/AIDS reflects many of the stresses and strains in contemporary South Africa and must be considered in relation to the socio-political, economic and cultural factors that the epidemic is deeply rooted in. This study investigated how secondary schools have responded to the problems of HIV/AIDS and the challenges faced by educators in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS School Policy and the Life skills programme. It also evaluated the Life-skills, HIV/AIDS programme implemented in three selected schools in the eThekwini region. A multiphase research design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods, was utilised in this study. In Phase One, face- to face interview schedules were administered with principals from 74 secondary schools. Phase Two comprised in-depth interviews with educators as well as interactive workshops with Grade Nine learners and their parents from three selected schools. In Phase Three one focus group with district co-ordinators and an in-depth interview was held with the national co-ordinator for the Lifeskills, HIV/AIDS programme from the Department of Education. The findings illustrate that there is a lack of institutional capacity at schools to deal adequately with the problem of HIV/AIDS. With the maturation and devastating effects of the epidemic at both micro (individual and families) and mezzo (school and community) levels, there is a need to move beyond sexuality education and knowledge about HIV/AIDS to include treatment, care and support services to learners, their families and educators who are either infected and or affected by the epidemic. Five key strategies are recommended as a fram~work to create an enabling environment in which not only risk reduction among the youth can occur but the effects of the maturation of the epidemic can be dealt with at the school, household and community level. Drawing on the practice elements embedded in structural theory and its application to HIV/AIDS intervention programmes in schools, recommendations are made for the re-conceptualisation of social work practice in contemporary South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

The purpose of this study was to determine teacher engagement with HIV/AIDS education in primary school. Since the emergence and acknowledgement of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, the national education department's policy has advanced HIV/AIDS education as a priority. The new curriculum has opened up opportunities for HIV/AIDS education to be inserted in the curriculum especially in the learning area Life Orientation in the primary school, which previously did not exist. There is a paucity of research documenting teachers' experiences on the implementation of the HIV/AIDS curriculum. The manner in which teachers engage with the HIV/AIDS curriculum is not known. This study focused on 9 teachers in the intermediate and senior phases in a particular primary school in KwaZulu Natal who have had experience in the implementation of the HIV/AIDS curriculum over the past four years in their school. A survey questionnaire was administered to all educators in the study. The three intermediate educators participated in face-to-face interviews as well as a focus group discussion. An interview was conducted with the member of the management team who was part of the sample. The results from the survey, interviews and focus group discussion suggest that teachers were strongly implementing the HIV/AIDS curriculum in their classrooms while experiencing some practical challenges. This study also suggests that the educators found the Department Of Education's implementation plan suppressive. All three intermediate phase teachers used creative methods to assist in the implementation of the curriculum. The respondents claimed that the workshops and meetings that they had attended were invaluable to them. They however preferred seeing the community more closely involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, as this was not an issue confined to the school exclusively. Teachers would also liked to have had HIV/AIDS education implemented across the curriculum, as the task to empower learners in this regard was a mammoth one. The unique and challenging experiences of teachers implementing the HIV/AIDS curriculum must be documented before any theoretical positions can be articulated about the implementation of HIV/AIDS education in primary schools in South Africa. This study has contributed to research on the implementation of HIV/AIDS education in primary school by providing some insight into a group of educators' experiences. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

Intermediate Phase learners represent our "window of opportunity" since children in the middle childhood years are in the process of acquiring knowledge and forming attitudes and beliefs which will have long-term implications in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This is an in depth study to examine how HIV/AIDS education is fostered in the Intermediate Phase in a school. The focus is to examine the level of knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS of the learners and Life-skills educators and how it is managed in the school. The study used a mixed methodology design employing both quantitative (learners' questionnaires) and qualitative (educators' and manager's interviews) methods of data collection. The questionnaire embodied both open-ended and closed questions which were further categorized into dominant themes: level of knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS, sources of information, learners' attitudes and myths/misconceptions abut HIV/AIDS. The data produced was triangulated with the responses from the educators' and manager's interviews. Analysis of the data was carried out in the Microsoft Excel program by using the programs graph wizard to generate bar graphs for easier interpretation of the open-ended questions. The findings of the questionnaire showed positive results and left me with a sense of optimism for the future, although there were areas of concern as in the findings of the grade four learners. The educators' responses to the interviews revealed the reasons for the concern which are attributed to lack of training in life-skills and sexuality education, unavailability of resources and poor knowledge about policy documents. The management response also revealed lack of focus and commitment from all stakeholders to give impetus to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The role of the school and religious and civic organisations cannot be underestimated in the fight against AIDS. We should empower our children with education and life skills - not only so that they can prevent themselves from being infected, but also so that they can have the opportunity to learn to become compassionate caring members of a society that will be struggling with the aftermath of HIV/AIDS for a long time to come. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

Currently in South Africa much emphasis is being placed on minimizing barriers to learning and maximizing participation to learning. Education White Paper 6 of 2001 draws attention to the barriers to learning in South Africa and highlights HIV/AIDS as one of the barriers to learning. This study, therefore, seeks to ascertain what barriers to learning impact on the lives of children affected by HIV/AIDS and what support exists for children affected by HIV/AIDS. Further, this study is part of a larger project commissioned by the NRF on the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on learning in the Richmond District. A participatory research framework was employed in this study using qualitative methods of gathering data. A structured participant interview schedule was devised using projective and drawing exercises to get participants to volunteer information. Six children from a Day Care and Support Centre in Richmond were selected purposefully as research participants. Three focus group sessions were held to gather the data from the participants. The data that was gathered was subjected to stringent content analysis from which topics and categories emerged which were used to report on the data. The data was analysed using critical theory in general and Young's theory of oppression in particular. The findings of this study confirm that poverty, issues pertaining to family responsibility, the emotional trauma of losing loved ones and the crime, violence and abuse that affected children are exposed to, all serve as barriers to learning. Further, the findings indicate that children are aware of the agencies from which assistance could be accessed. However, the financial assistance in terms of child support grants is not being fully exploited by those who qualify for it. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This study examines the use of participatory methodology with primary school children in mapping HIV/AIDS as a barrier to learning in KwaZulu-Natal. The study draws on a larger National Research Funded (NRF) Project1 undertaken in the Richmond area of KwaZulu-Natal. Data was produced through semi-structured interviews of six researchers involved in the NRF project; through document analysis of the data sets involving the learners and facilitators, the NRF project report and the related journal articles based on the project; and through field observation conducted by me. The findings of the study suggest that in research on HIV/AIDS it is essential to seek participatory ways of enabling children’s voices on the pandemic as it unfolds in their context. High researcher reflexivity is necessary in order to become sensitive and responsive to the challenges of including children’s voices in vulnerable circumstances. Findings also suggest the importance of viewing ethics as situated practice. The study ends with implications for research methodology courses, researcher training and evidence from children for policy on HIV/AIDS. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

The rapid rate, at which HIV/AIDS is being spread, is changing the face of modern society. The alarming statistics revealed by research, bears testimony to this fact. According to Bennell (2003), the total number of HIV/AIDS maternal and two-parent orphans for subSaharan Africa is expected to increase from 9.85 million in 2001 to 18.67 million in 201 0. Education has a pivotal role to play in effectively dealing with the effects of the pandemic, as well as in creating awareness among learners on HIV/AIDS preventative education. The chief medium through which ideas are conveyed and awareness is raised, is through the use of language. The focus of this dissertation was to critically explore the language used by educators within the context of HIV/AIDS Education , at primary school level. This was done in two ways. The first was conducting an in-depth analysis of documents pertinent to HIV/AIDS Education, in an attempt to ascertain which themes, concepts and terms frequently feature in these various documents. The second was exploring these themes, concepts and terms with regard to how these were perceived and understood by the participants in the study. The translation of the meanings the participants attached to these concepts and terms, and how these translated into learning activities within the classroom context, received attention during classroom and lesson observations. A case-study design within the qualitative mode of inquiry was employed. Document analysis, observation and in-depth interviews were used to obtain data pertaining to the area of study. Three Life Orientation educators, from a suburban, co-educational school in the Kwa - Zulu Natal area, participated in the study. The Critical Discourse Analysis framework informed the study. The study also explored the usage of non-verbal signs and suggestions to convey meaning and understanding among learners. The participants' predispositions, ideologies and pre-conceived notions of what was appropriate, in terms of themes explored within the context of HIV/AIDS education, were also examined in light of any bearing these might have had in the process of facilitating understanding among learners. Due consideration was given to contextual factors, and how these might have influenced the processes of creating meaning and understanding among learners. The findings revealed by this research, provide valuable insights into some of the interpretations of some of the terms and concepts that are commonly associated with HIV/AIDS by educators. In addition, they present the possibility of alternate meanings of these terms and concepts, suggesting that multiple meanings are possible within the context of HIV/AIDS education. The implications of this study for classroom practice are numerous. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2006.

This research presents an understanding of the teaching and learning practices in the context of HIV/AIDS education in the intermediate phase. Against a milieu of change and restructuring in education is the HIV/AIDS education curriculum which teachers are expected to deal with in schools. From an identity perspective, I try to understand how teaching practices which are adopted by teachers in the teaching of HIV/AIDS education either challenges or perpetuates the status of HIV/AIDS in society. Therefore the focus of this study is primarily the teacher. By employing Samuel's Forcefield Model as a structure for this study, I demonstrate how the choices that the teacher makes in teaching practice, are shaped by a range of diverse forces, which are frequently in conflict with each other. In this study I want to understand how teachers are engaging with their new roles and multiple responsibilities (as described in The Norms and Standards for Teacher Educators) when teaching HIV/AIDS education in the intermediate phase - given that this aspect is a relatively new dimension to the curriculum. From a methodological perspective, the collection and analysis of data were consistent with the Hermeneutic research paradigm. For the purpose of this study interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from educators. Furthermore, in order to present a more holistic picture of the teacher and to ascertain to what extent, what the teacher teaches is actually what the learner learns, data was also collected from learners via observations, conversations and through an analysis of drawings and poems. It must be emphasised that although learners in this study play a pivotal role as sources of data, they are not the unit of analysis for this study. Thus the major part of this thesis focuses on the teacher. The findings of this study indicate that the guiding principles of a teacher's life, such as race, religion and culture are important forces that mould what, why and how teachers teach HIV/AIDS education in the intermediate phase. On the other hand, the forces that mould learners' experiences of HIV/AIDS education is determined by the social environment that the learner lives in. The forces that shape what the teacher does are not the same as the forces that shape what the learner learns. The concept of 'othering' is predominant in the interactions between teachers and learners and teachers are socially distanced from learners, parents and the child's social environment. Hence the 'caring and sharing' as espoused by teachers is not being articulated in practice. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2005.

This dissertation aims to explore problems of gender, masculinity and cultural memory shared by men in the theatre workshop process through looking at the workshop process of four HIV/AIDS plays. The narrative that evolved in the process of creating each play carries an important and current documentation of story and myth that illustrate a unique social understanding of varied but relevant HIV/AIDS issues. In this dissertation the scripts will act as primary text in an exploration of the importance of workshop theatre in documenting the creation of stories and myth in the HIV/AIDS context. The focus of the exploration is on the male participants, with the intention of gaining a greater understanding of contemporary masculine issues in the context of HIV/AIDS. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

At present there is no cure or vaccine for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) therefore prevention programmes are seen as the only means of reducing the spread of the disease. HIV/AIDS education programmes in schools have been identified as the most effective intervention because billions of children can be reached worldwide and because schools are the one social institution with which most children come into contact. Young people in particular have been identified as the age group most in need of a preventative programme. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of grade six and seven learners with regard to the Life Skills programme focusing on HIV/AIDS education in the Port Elizabeth region. In order to fulfill the above aim a qualitative study was undertaken within an exploratory descriptive approach. A non-probability, convenient sample of six schools were selected. Focus groups, utilising an unstructured interview, were used to gather qualitative data about the perceptions of grade six and seven learners. The focus groups consisted of 10-12 participants. The data was thematically analysed using Tesch’s approach. The major findings of the present study included the following: 1. Learners’ perceptions of completing the questionnaire were generally positive in nature. Negative perceptions related to practical issues such as the length of the questionnaire and the time of administration. 2. Learner’s perceptions of the programme were generally positive. 3. Learners’ felt more comfortable discussing HIV/AIDS with parents and teachers. xi 4. Learners’ appeared to be well informed about high-risk behaviour related to HIV/AIDS and existing myths. 5. Contact with HIV+ people is non-existent. However, learner’s felt that the programme had fostered positive attitudes towards HIV+ people. 6. Learner’s felt that schools had an important role to play in sharing information about HIV/AIDS. These findings seem to indicate positive outcomes for the programme as a whole, in that is was successful in terms of conveying information regarding HIV/AIDS; it led to positive changes in attitudes, especially towards HIV+ people; and it confirmed the school as the best setting for implementing HIV/AIDS Life Skills programmes.

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / This study was conducted with standard five children on the East Rand. The aim with this project was to evaluate the knowledge of the children on AIDS and to see whether the information they received was in fact correct. The following questions were asked: what do children really know about AIDS? is the information they receive, correct? where do children get their information from? what more do they want to know about AIDS? The aim of this study was to give reliable answers to these questions. The respondents were five hundred standard five children from five schools. The respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of fifteen questions. The results of the empirical research show that children have a lot of questions regarding AIDS and they need good guidance. Based on this fact one can recommend that the inclusion of more guidance regarding AIDS in the school curriculum should seriously be considered. The following specific findings have been made: No significant relationships has been found between sex and their knowledge of AIDS. Children know that AIDS is a deadly virus disease. There is much confusion of how one can contract AIDS. It could be that the children did not get the right information. Many of the respondents were of the opinion that AIDS could soon be cured and that it is not as serious as it is made out to be. Children are not sure whether one could get AIDS from having sex with different people...