Can any teacher teach sexuality and HIV/AIDS? Perspectives of South African Life Orientation teachers

Abstract

In this paper we explore the perceived desirable characteristics of South African Life Orientation teachers for teaching sexuality and HIV/AIDS. We also investigate the extent to which these characteristics can be understood as parts of a role script for teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. Data were collected from teachers who taught Grade Eight and Grade Nine students in South African public high schools. The teachers particularly emphasised the importance of personality and life experience as important characteristics for teaching sexuality and HIV/AIDS. In addition, they felt that it was challenging to create an open dialogue in the classroom and at the same time maintain classroom discipline. The teachers did not perceive that teaching about sexuality and HIV/AIDS was a role that a teacher could step in and out of. On the other hand, they were accustomed to playing different roles with respect to the students, such as parent, friend, counsellor and social worker.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the participating teachers, schools and education departments at the two sites for their kind cooperation. The study was supported by a grant from the Norwegian Research Council and GLOBINF – Centre for Prevention of Global Infections at the University of Oslo. The study was conducted as part of the EU-funded research project ‘Promoting sexual and reproductive health. School-based HIV/AIDS prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa – SATZ’ (EU-contract number IC4-CT-2002-10038) coordinated by Leif-Edvard Aarø, University of Bergen.

Notes

^†This author has passed away after the article was submitted for publication.

^1. ‘SATZ’ is an abbreviation for South Africa and Tanzania.

^2. […] indicates material has been omitted; … indicates a short pause.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alan J. Flisher

† †This author has passed away after the article was submitted for publication.