Teach ‘One Hour on AIDS’ on World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day may be several months away but teacher unions are eager to start preparing their activities. For many students school is a valuable, and sometimes the only source, of accurate information on HIV and AIDS.
By talking openly about AIDS related issues with their colleagues and students, teachers can have a big impact on promoting safe behaviour and overcoming stigma and discrimination.
The ‘One Hour on AIDS’ lesson is an ideal way for teachers to clarify basic information relating to HIV and AIDS, clear up myths surrounding transmission and condom use, and advocate for an inclusive attitude towards people living with HIV.
Teacher unions spoke of the enthusiasm of teachers and students alike resulting from the activities undertaken during World AIDS Day 2008. Many unions successfully used the ‘One Hour on AIDS’ activity kit as a base for further engaging activities which included art exhibitions, drama productions and public rallies. Check out EI’s World AIDS Day 2008 Report for more detail on 2008 activities and perhaps some inspiration for 2009!
In 2009, the ‘One Hour on AIDS’ lesson is to be continued and expanded into even more languages than last year so that more students and teachers can participate. Plans are already afoot for translations into Ndebele and Shona, both languages used at primary school level in Zimbabwe. Visit the World AIDS Day webpage on the EI EFAIDS website to check out the first resources available for 2009. More updates to come in the run-up to World AIDS Day 2009!
