Education has been cited by several well-respected sources, including the World Bank, as one of the most important factors in helping to prevent this group from contracting HIV and AIDS. Knowing the successful role that school feeding and take-home rations have played in increasing enrolment and attendance rates in poor schools, especially among girls, the World Food Programme has attempted to address the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children in countries with high HIV prevalence rates through support to education. Relatively little research exists on the impact that education levels (i.e. number of school years completed) have on new cases of HIV (incidence) and the percentage of a population group which is HIV positive (prevalence). This literature review summarizes the research undertaken to date, drawing upon both qualitative and quantitative studies undertaken mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. It identifies gaps in the available research and raises some issues for WFP's programming on HIV and AIDS.