The evidence presented in this report shows that the health of our educators is a source of concern because the prevalence of HIV is high. The determinants are multiple: behavioural, knowledge deficit, lack of self-efficacy skills, migratory practices, gender, and alcohol misuse.
One of the key determinants for the loss of public educators in South Africa is mortality due to AIDS. This report presents an estimate of the number of educators who died from AIDS in 2004, including the projected distribution of AIDS deaths by age group.
While it has long been suspected that HIV prevalence among educators is high, there has been no scientific study to assess this.
Analysing the extent and severity of HIV/AIDS among educators without looking at the broader context within which schools operate, provides only a partial understanding of the immense challenges facing the education sector in South Africa.
Education plays a key role in the development of any society.