Class 8B on HIV/AIDS

Hi All

The age range in 8B is from 12 to 18 years old. Students who don’t pass their end of year exams stay in another year. However, if you have an 18 year old in year 8 it does not mean that they have failed their end of year exams 5 years in a row! There are all sorts of other reasons for it.

They might have started their school career late, or their parents may have taken them out of school for a year for some reason, or perhaps the family could not afford the fees. The government are trying to get students to start school at the right age, attend every year and they are bringing in non-fee paying schools to help in that process.

This morning 8B told me about HIV/AIDS and how it is taught in the schools. I have used their words.

We get information about HIV / AIDS in school. We start learning abut HIV AIDS in Primary school when we are 10 years old.

The first thing we are taught is how you get the virus.

You get HIV/Aids by having unprotected sex.

You get it by exchanging blood, like in cuts.

Or by using a toothbrush with someone who has bleeding gums and you have bleeding gums.

You can get it from your mother’s milk if you are a baby and she is HIV/AIDs positive.

We think that we get good advice in school.

We are trying to follow the instructions that we get in class.

Here are some of the slogans that class 8B came up with regarding AIDS.

Face HIV
Be What You Want To Be
Know Your Status
Don’t Give Up When You are HIV Positive
AIDS is a killer disease
You should Make Your Own Choices
Get Attitude
HIV, Face It
You’ve Got To Be Positively Positive
HIV wants you

So that is HIV/AIDS according to 8B. Let me know what you think.

Bye for now.

Claire