Barbados minister calls for sustained HIV/AIDS training
|
| Published on Thursday, June 28, 2007 |
Email To Friend Print Version |
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BIS): A senior government official in Barbados has called for sustained training at the tertiary level for those persons in the teaching service imparting knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
Minister of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Anthony Wood, made this appeal to regional participants attending a Caribbean Education Sector HIV and AIDS Capacity Building Workshop.
Observing that HIV/AIDS held serious implications for the economy, educational opportunities and family life, he said the training would ensure that teachers communicated the requisite information to their students. “Lessons on HIV/AIDS must be mandated, the delivery must be attractive and it should begin from the earliest level in the education system. The sessions must be age appropriate, be awareness of societal and community issues and begin with sexual behaviours that are at low risk,” the Minister stressed.
He told those in attendance that the impact of the epidemic on society must be kept to a minimum and urged that there should be a ‘workplace policy’. “The policy should offer workplace education programmes to teachers and staff, protecting employees’ rights and adopting fair personnel policies for infected and affected individuals.”
Member of ‘UWI-HARP” (University of the West Indies HIV/AIDS Response Programme, University Professor Christine Barrow, affirmed that education was central to the mission and mandate in providing new and innovative techniques to tackle HIV/AIDS. “Our young people are very knowledgeable on sexually transmitted diseases, but this knowledge has not led to a behavioural change. Sharing of experiences and other ‘Youth to Youth’ initiatives are needed. We must also shift the focus from ‘teaching’ methods to a ‘learning’ process,“ she advised.
The workshop was called to discuss a number of issues, including the delivery of HIV and AIDS services within existing youth centres, and the implementation of a peer-to-peer programme for college students to mentor youth on HIV AIDS and life skills. The programme will also seek to strengthen ties between education stakeholders, HIV/AIDS coordinators and the Caribbean Network of People living with HIV/ AIDS.
Participants were Country Representatives from Belize, Barbados, Jamaica and a number of other Caribbean countries. | | | | Reads : 161 | | | |
|
|
