December 2003

Programming for HIV Prevention in
South African Schools

Conclusion and Next Steps

The Life Skills School Curriculum had a positive impact on students’ knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitudes about abstinence, and intention to use condoms. These effects are important for laying the groundwork for behavior change. There was, however, no evidence of increased adoption of such protective behaviors as abstinence and condom use. This may be because the teachers did not focus as strongly on the life skills components as on the factual HIV/AIDS information. Moreover, this was the first time that the teachers had taught this particular curriculum. Their skills, comfort level, and effectiveness are likely to improve with experience.

To strengthen the course to foster behavior change, more attention should be placed on helping teachers cover the life skills components and on responding to students’ desire for greater emphasis on resisting peer pressure and for talking to parents and partners about sex.

All schools in South Africa now teach this curriculum to students in grade 9. In May 2003, the researchers discussed the findings with key stakeholders at a symposium in Durban. The findings are currently being used by the Department of Education of KwaZulu Natal to refine the program. In addition, the findings will be distributed to the full-time HIV/AIDS program coordinators in each province, who manage the training, revisions, monitoring, and evaluation of the Life Skills Programme.

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This page updated
19 Oct 2007