Efficiency and Effectiveness of Implementation of HIV and Aids Curriculum in Primary Schools, Kenya

The rapid spread of HIV and AIDS made the government of Kenya to focus on Mechanisms and strategies of preventing the spread, mitigating its consequences and providing care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA). In this regard education was identified as the critical means of achieving behaviour change in and out of the classroom. This study sought to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of the methods used to implement HIV and AIDS curriculum integration. The study population constituted all class eight pupils, teachers, head teachers, teacher counsellors, quality assurance and standards officers of the Ministry of Education. Both multi stage cluster sampling and purposive sampling procedures were used to select the sample. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires, interview schedule, observation checklist and Focus Group Discussion. Secondary data was collected from documented information on HIV and AIDS curriculum integration programme. The study established that 72 % pupils were of the view that the methods used for teaching HIV and AIDS were good while 28.0 % said that the methods were not good. In addition, the pupils admitted that HIV and AIDS education enabled them to change their sexual behavior. The study recommends that teachers should be encouraged to attend HIV and AIDS training, so as to embrace HIV and AIDS education irrespective of their teaching subjects.