This study does not address the level of implementation of HIV/AIDS education, but the framework and conditions set in policies and curricula for curriculum implementation. This analysis will however lead to an evaluation of the likely quality of implementation that may be expected, regarding criteria established through existing research and evaluation. From the analysis of the curriculum, which states goals, intention and, what can be expected to be actually implemented as HIV/AIDS education in schools and class rooms. It therefore looks at the following aspects: What is the status of HIV/AIDS educational policy? Has there been a comprehensive HIV/AIDS educational policy in relation to goals, placement, content, approach, training of teachers and resources? How comprehensive is HIV/AIDS curriculum in relation to approach, goals, content, practical skills and magnitude of the problem? How coherent are the curricula when compared to policy framework? The analysis reviews first a few crucial data on HIV/AIDS prevalence, youth sexual behaviours and basic features of the education systems and explores the policy and institutional framework surrounding HIV/AIDS education, for the set of countries under scrutiny. We then look at intended official school curricula for primary and secondary levels, to identify whether HIV/AIDS education is formally included, what the goals are for HIV/AIDS education, what the approach is, how many hours are dedicated to it and what status it has such as mandatory or examinable status. We also look at the location of HIV/AIDS in the curriculum. The thematic areas and more specific contents these goals are translated into (Table 5). Teacher training and partnerships with NGOs and CBOs are addressed in the last section, about ways to move forward and improve HIV/AIDS education in school settings, based mainly on secondary sources, work done by the IBE and others in Sub-Saharan Africa. The geographic focus is on Sub-Saharan Africa (18 countries), with examples from countries of two other regions, namely East Asia/Pacific (11 countries) and Latin America/Caribbean (7 countries). The selection of these regions was based on adequacy of information available on each region and country, and the magnitude of HIV/AIDS in different regions and countries. The study uses mainly qualitative methods. Numerous documents were collected and analysed (mainly countries' policy and official framework documents, schools' curricula and syllabi, country reports and local studies). Data are analysed and presented by region and country, by level of education (basic/primary and secondary), and for the following aspects: 1. Inclusion of HIV/AIDS in education policy. 2. Inclusion of HIV/AIDS in the official curriculum and analysis of how HIV/AIDS is included in the curriculum. Some quantitative data are also examined, mostly for the analysis of relevant dimensions of the background of HIV/AIDS education (school gross enrolments for primary and secondary education, HIV/AIDS prevalence, risk behaviours and level of knowledge related to HIV/AIDS of young people).