The importance of a well-balanced HIV/AIDS education course cannot be underestimated. If there were a high level of knowledge and awareness about the risks of the disease amongst children, then the chances of a person developing the virus would be much smaller. In turn, if more people knew what to do in case of a transmission, the chances of a victim surviving the disease would increase dramatically.

Teachers’ training

Training for teaching hiv aids education courses in secondary schools can be an effective way to improve the health and welfare of adolescents. However, the ability to implement such training can be challenged by practical issues such as time and supplementary materials. To determine the effects of such training, researchers studied the effect of training on school teachers’ knowledge and skills. The results suggest that, while training is effective at increasing the ability of teachers to teach HIV/AIDS in schools, a comprehensive program is needed. In particular, training may enhance the confidence of teachers to impart information on HIV/AIDS to adolescents. But to be effective, such activity also must address the subject’s complexities. For instance, the use of interactive methods may need to be improved. A critical benefit of teaching HIV/AIDS to school children is the increase in the uptake of condoms. School-based HIV/AIDS education programs have the potential to affect the sexual behavior of young people significantly. These changes in knowledge and attitudes can help curb the spread of the virus.

Impact of school-based HIV/AIDS education on knowledge and attitudes

School-based HIV/AIDS education courses have shown positive effects on the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents. But the implementation of such programs requires more than just a change in the curriculum. It also involves training teachers. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of such educational programs on the HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes of students. A sample of 2,919 students from ten secondary schools in a randomly selected intervention district was administered a pre-test on HIV/AIDS. They were asked to answer a series of questions based on the modes of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Students were then questioned about their knowledge of HIV/AIDS, condom use, and sexual behaviors. The questionnaire was designed in such a way that it was anonymous. To determine the impact of school-based HIV/AIDS education programs, a one-group pre-posttest design was used. After education, students from the experimental group reported increased knowledge of HIV/AIDS and had more excellent intentions to abstain from sex. However, most participants had a negative attitude toward HIV-infected people.

Impact of cascading training on teachers

Teachers who received training on HIV/AIDS education were found to have enhanced self-confidence in conducting such classes. Their knowledge of teaching the subject increased as well. They were also more comfortable with interactive teaching methods, especially involving students in classroom discussions. In addition to the new curriculum, a cascading training model was used to train core trainers and subject teachers. The training was conducted twice a month, with the first hour focusing on content and the second on facilitative skills. These topics were designed to suit the needs of different experience levels.