REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

HIV & AIDS MAINSTREAMING APPROACHES IN THE TEVT SECTOR –

THE ZAMBIAN CASE

Sarah S Kaulule, Dominic Kasosa, Gabriel S Konayuma

MSTVT, Zambia

9 October 2006
Introduction

Mainstreaming of HIV & AIDS in TVET sector in Zambia is being undertaken at

three levels:
• Ministerial: Policy formulation
• Regulatory: Policy guidance and implementation
• Institutional: Implementation

Outline of Paper

This paper looks at:

• The role of MSTVT in mainstreaming HIV & AIDS in the TEVT sector;
• The role of TEVETA in mainstreaming HIV & AIDS in the TEVT sector;
• The role of TEVT institutions in mainstreaming HIV & AIDS in the TEVT sector;

MSTVT’s role in mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in the TEVT sector

• MSTVT has formulated the Work place HIV/AIDS policy

• Purpose: To provide guidelines on how to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the
Ministry and its Institutions
• How?:
- Through sensitisation and prevention programmes;
- mitigation of HIV/AIDS impact through psychosocial counselling and
- Anti-retroviral Therapy network programmes;

MSTVT Policy guiding principles:

• Ministerial Leadership and Commitment;
• Institutional Approach and Partnership;
• Public Health Approach.

General Objective of the Policy

“To provide the framework that will facilitate consistency in the Ministry’s response
to the challenges of HIV/AIDS in the Ministry and all institutions that fall under it”

Specific Objectives of the MSTVT Policy

• To promote interventions that prevent, prolong and improve the quality of life of staff,
their families and students;
• To facilitate institutionalization and integration of HIV/AIDS activities in the
Ministry’s and institutional programmes;

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• To provide care and support to all staff, their families as well as students living with
HIV/AIDS;
• To enhance linkages among research and development institutions, counselling and
testing centres, the Ministry and its training institutions;
• To establish effective monitoring and evaluation systems for HIV/AIDS programmes.

Issues Addressed by MSTVT Policy

• HIV/AIDS amongst the members of staff, their families and students by facilitating the
creation of an enabling environment to effectively fight the pandemic in the work
place and learning institutions.

Policy Strategies
• Scale up sensitization programmes & activities through provision of HIV/AIDS
information, education and communication among members of staff, their families and
students;
• Encourage abstinence and promote safer sex through condom use and other barrier
methods;
• Provide ARV’s and good nutrition;
• Provide support and care for positive living;
• Promote behavioral change among students as a way of preventing HIV transmission
and infection.
• Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS activities into the Ministry’s programmes;
• Facilitate formulation of curriculum on HIV/AIDS institutions;
• Advocate for benefits of HIV/AIDS policy to members of staff, their families and
students;
• Build capacity in MSTVT institutions on HIV/AIDS;
• Strengthen structures for effective coordination of HIV/AIDS activities.
• Ensure staff, their families and students, regardless of their status, enjoy their rights as
enshrined in the UN Charter on Human Rights to health;
• Facilitate provision of home based care services;
• Facilitate formation of HIV/AIDS support groups.

TEVETA’s role in mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in the TEVT sector

• TEVETA is a regulator of the TEVET Sector

• It has three divisions viz.: Training Standards, Development and Finance &
Administration.
• Development division has three units: Entrepreneurship & Informal Sector and
Liaison.
• Liaison unit is responsible for Cross-Cutting Issue’s which include HIV/AIDS.

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TEVETA has
• conducted a study of the situational analysis of HIV/AIDS in selected training
institutions
• developed a template for the development of institutional HIV/AIDS policies
• conducted training for the development of HIV/AIDS institutional policies
• developed curricula for mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in TEVT programmes
TEVETA is:
• Co-ordinating training for HIV/AIDS Peer educators.
The main objective of the situational analysis study carried out in 2004 was to provide
baseline data on issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS aspects in training institutions . A total
of 29 institutions were included in the sample that was drawn from institutions within
Lusaka Province.
The study findings are:
• The most widely reported topic offered is behavioural change on HIV/AIDS
• HIV/AIDS clubs, seminars, debates and drama were the commonly reported extra
communications being done on HIV/AIDS by students.

The impact of HIV/AIDS on institutions:

• Normal/average absenteeism rate of lecturers due to illness (15.4%)
• Over 50% had taken up HIV/AIDS senstisation campaigns while 38.5% reported
taking no measures to incorporate HIV/AIDS in their institutions.

Role of TEVETA
• A quarter of institutions reported having a working relationship with TEVETA.
• A total of 39.4% of lecturers feel TEVETA should do more to encourage AIDS
education.

Recommendations
• TEVETA needs to facilitate nation wide survey on HIV/AIDS on the TEVET Sector.
• TEVETA will work with training providers in policy guidelines formulation of
HIV/AIDS for TEVET institutions.

Activities by Institutions on HIV/AIDS

• Institutional policies on HIV/AIDS have been developed
• Focal point persons on HIV/AIDS have been appointed
• Formation of HIV/AIDS clubs
• Sensitizations workshops
• Provision of literature on HIV/AIDS
• Distribution of condoms

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Planned Activities by Institutions on HIV/AIDS
• Establish HIV/AIDS database
• Form HIV/AIDS Support groups
• Train counselors, care givers and peer educators
• Establish Counseling Centres – to provide holistic approach to health matters
• Establish linkages with health providers
• Mobilise resources
• Use sports activities
Limitations on the Mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS
• Lack of funds for setting up the supportive framework
• Wrong attitudes
• Lack of trained human resources in HIV/AIDS related issues