Swaziland. Ministry of Education

This report presents findings from the study and a follow-up workshop involving educators from all levels and representatives from a number of ministries.

This paper discusses the issue of HIV/AIDS and education in Swaziland and how the relevant ministry is coping with the problem.

The scourge of abuse is at the moment a major challenge to the country's schools and communities at large. This study highlights findings on children vulnerable to abuse, those that are exposed to abuse and the circumstances surrounding such situations.

This policy document addresses all the sectors under the Ministry of Education such as Civil Servants, Teachers, learners, school committees, non-formal education institutions, special populations such as the disabled, the out of school youth as well as the orphaned and vulnerable children.

This document was prepared by the Department of Educational Testing Guidance and Psychological Services (DETGPS) in the Ministry of Education in Swaziland, so as to help children face the challenges in this era of HIV and AIDS, substance abuse, etc.

The study was especially commissioned to find out the impact of HIV/AIDS on the education sector. It concentrated on the impact on the population as a whole, and made projections of the numbers of the infected and affected adults.

The challenges facing the Education and Health sectors of the Swaziland government with respect to HIV/AIDS are indeed enormous. Vast numbers of economically active people, teachers and health sector employees will be lost to AIDS.