The impact of HIV and AIDS on teachers in Kenya: a pilot study in Nairobi Machakos and Siaya districts

Case Studies & Research
Nairobi
IPAR
2007
86 p.
Authors

In Kenya, as in many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) threatens personal and national well being by negatively affecting health, life-span, and productive capacity of the individual hence severely constraining the accumulation of human capital and its transfer between generations. Data from recent research across many severely affected low-income countries clearly demonstrates that HIV and AIDS is the most serious impediment to economic growth and development and there is no reason to expect Kenya to be an exception. HIV and AIDS affects the Teachers' Service Commission's (TSC) ability to meet its mandate by its impact on teachers and ancillary staff. HIV and AIDS is known to affect the most productive members of the society in the 15-49 age bracket. Teachers' performance is, therefore, affected by loss of skills and experience through deaths, increased absenteeism as a result of repeated bouts of sickness, overworked teachers, in some cases increased reliance on less qualified teachers to relieve the ailing ones, stigma and discrimination and low morale among both infected and affected teachers. The main aim of this pilot study was to: (i) Assess the impact of HIV and AIDS among teachers in three sampled districts in Kenya; and (ii) Identify existing interventions to address identified HIV and AIDS challenges as well as potential mitigations to enhance teacher effectiveness in Kenya. Further, the study was to document the findings and make recommendations on proposed strategies that would help the TSC mitigate the impact of the epidemic and finally to form a baseline for future monitoring of HIV and AIDS programmes in the education sector in Kenya.

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