‘Key to a good life’ or just a bad investment? How do carers of children view and value education in the context of high HIV and AIDS?

Abstract

In the face of a generalized Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Virus (AIDS) epidemic in Southern Africa, children's education is viewed increasingly as a key area of concern as well as a potential opportunity for HIV intervention. However, the relationship between HIV and AIDS and education is a complex one, as the epidemic may influence educational indicators negatively through multiple pathways. This paper focuses upon one of these potential pathways: caregivers' attitudes to and perceptions of formal education. We argue that this area has not been afforded adequate attention among researchers and practitioners in Southern Africa despite evidence, from both the developed and developing world, that parental attitudes are important influencers of children's attitudes to education and educational outcomes. A review of recent empirical literature, and findings of a 2006–07 exploratory study we conducted across three sites in Southern Africa, suggest that economic factors or considerations – rather than health and objective life expectancy – are central in influencing the value caregivers attribute to children's formal education, even in a context of generalized HIV/AIDS. Further integrated qualitative and quantitative investigation is clearly needed in our region to explore determinants of parental attitudes to education among communities highly affected by the epidemic, and how these attitudes affect education-related decisions and outcomes. Interventions have a greater possibility of succeeding if they aim to support income-generating opportunities and include efforts to bridge schooling and health education with economic opportunities. Moreover, conditional transfers and school-based interventions or services are more likely to be effective at ensuring school attendance than unconditional transfers, particularly where the value caregivers attribute to education is low.

Keywords:

• children's schooling
• education
• HIV/AIDS
• parental attitudes to education

Notes

1. For example, effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic may include reducing household resources available for schooling, increasing familial responsibilities for children and causing stigma and trauma (Foster, 2002; Hepburn, 2004; Rugalema, 2000).

2. The six factors identified by Hepburn (2004) as primary obstacles to increasing primary education for children in AIDS-affected areas are: (1) lack of affordable schooling; (2) increased familial responsibilities; (3) poor education quality; (4) stigma and trauma; (5) fear of infection; and (6) family skepticism regarding the value of education.

3. The formal name of this study is ‘Dealing with vulnerability: Parents’ efforts to secure the future of their children'.

4. The three respective projects were:

• Understanding Resilient and Vulnerable Livelihoods' (UNRAVEL) project site in Chikwawa District, southern Malawi;

• the Amajuba Child Health and Wellbeing Research Project (ACHWRP) in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; and

• the ‘Women Street Traders and HIV/AIDS’ project in Warwick Junction, Durban, South Africa.

5. 2006/2007 ANC prevalence is estimated at 51.6% for Amajuba District and 33.8% for the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (source: Kwazulu-Natal Province District and Province Profiles, Section B in the District health barometer 2006/07, Health Systems Trust, available at: http://www.hst.org.za/uploads/files/dhb0607_kzn.pdf). The estimated HIV prevalence rate for Malawi's Southern region is 19.8% (source: Ministry of Health and National AIDS Commission (2005). HIV and syphilis sero-survey and national HIV prevalence estimates report 2005. Lilongwe, Malawi). While our study did not aim to distinguish HIV-affected households from other households, all respondents concurred that the epidemic was having a significant negative impact on their communities and households in their area. Most caregivers interviewed reported having experienced illness and/or death of family members, caring for orphans and/or having lost children or other young adult relatives in the recent past. Five of the 10 Amajuba respondents and one Warwick Junction respondent told of how their households had been affected directly by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Among Chikwawa respondents, few households reported being affected directly by HIV/AIDS, although five of the 10 caregivers interviewed were caring for orphans and a number of caregivers reported having lost children or other young adult relatives. The absence of direct references to HIV/AIDS appeared to be a result of stigma. Although respondents did not attribute the increase in number of orphans directly to HIV/AIDS, they were evidently aware of the disease: they referred to it indirectly as ‘this disease’ and several were able to name people in the community who were ill with AIDS.