ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was –
to investigate whether HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns have brought any change to the behaviour of learners in the rural schools of Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Limpopo, who could become a health risk to the prevalence thereof, and make them aware of the implications of the epidemic;
to establish how far these schools have implemented lifeskills education and HIV/AIDS programmes to learners; and
to investigate whether or not the programme has achieved any sustained behavioural change among learners, and increased their level of awareness of HIV/AIDS to tackle barriers to healthier behaviour.
This study comprises a literature study on HIV/AIDS regarding the definition of terms, what AIDS and HIV are, the origin and manner of transmission of the virus, education programmes on HIV/AIDS, and the challenges facing the implementation of HIV/AIDS education programmes. The main data was collected through the distribution of questionnaires to Grade 12 learners of schools from the Nebo circuit in the southern region of Limpopo; and also from officials in the field. The results of the study indicate that most learners are aware of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Their knowledge, one the whole, with regard to condom use, prevention, the manner of infection, discrimination, and their rights to education was outstanding. Nevertheless there were a few learners who performed unsatisfactorily to some of the questions, namely the question on infection through breastfeeding, the spread of the virus through sneezing and coughing, the cure of the virus by traditional healers and the importance of counselling and testing. Significantly, the study findings indicate that the majority of learners have knowledge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, therefore the initial hypothesis that the level of knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS among learners in the rural schools of the Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Limpopo was not supported.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die navorsing was –
om vas te stel of MIV/VIGS-bewusmakingsveldtogte enige verandering teweeg-gebring het in die gedrag van leerders van landelike skole in die gebied van die Makhuduthamaga Munisipaliteit in Limpopo, sodat leerders bewus is van die gesondsheidrisko’s en voorkomssyfer van die epidemie asook die implikasies van die epidemie; en
om vas te stel of die program enige volgehoue gedragsveranderings by die leerders veroorsaak het en hoe dit hulle bewustheidsvlakke van MIV/VIGS verhoog het, om hulle te help om die hindernisse tot gesonde gedrag te oorkom.
Hierdie studie bevat ‘n literatuuur studie mmet betrekking tot die definisie van terme, wat MIV en VIGS is, die oorsprong van vie virus en hoe die virus versprei word en ook opvoedingsprogramme oor MIV/VIGS en die uitdagings van die implimentering van die MIV/VIGS-programme. Die navorsingprojek het sy hoof inligting verkry deur vraelyste te versprei onder Graad 12-leerders van skole van die Nebo-kring in die suidelike deel van Limpopo, en ook onderhoude met beamptes in die veld. Die uitslag van die studie wys dat die meeste leerders bewus is van die MIV/VIGS-epidemie. Hul kennis, meestal, met betrekking tot kondoomgebruik, maniere waarop besmetting plaasvind, diskriminasie en hulle reg tot opvoeding was uitstekend. Daar was egter enkele leerders wat sommige vrae onbevredigend beantwoord het, naamlik besmetting deur borsvoeding, die verspreiding van die virus deur hoes en nies, die genesing van die virus deur tradisionele genesers, en die belangrikheid van voorligting en toetsing. Dit was opmerklik dat die resultate van die studie bewys het dat die meerderheid leerders kennis dra van MIV/VIGS. Die navorsing het dus bewys dat die veronderstelling dat leerders in die landelike skole van Makhuduthamaga Munisipaliteit in Limpopo nie kennis dra van MIV/VIGS of bewus is daarvan nie, nie ondersteun kan word nie.
