USING A DIFFERENT LENS FOR HIV and AIDS EDUCATION ...

The storyboard titled “HIV/AIDS again?”
highlights the phenomenon, „sick of AIDS‟.
This story points to the need of
innovative/creative and participatory methods
of teaching HIV and AIDS. The reference to
„blah‟ and students carrying on with their
conversation while the teacher is presenting
the lesson shows that the message from the
teacher „does not have space‟ in the learners‟
ears. At the back of the classroom when the
learners are on their own, they engage
differently with the issues around HIV than
when the teacher teaches about HIV.
HIV AND AIDS AGAIN?
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The way the learners engage is what the
storyboard terms “real feelings, real
dilemmas” at the back of the classroom. This
might imply that the “HIV facts” the teacher is
giving are not real issues known and faced by
the learners – hence learners asking “How
does HIV affect our lives?” Also highlighted is
the understanding of teaching and
incorporating HIV across learning areas – the
idea that teachers would want learners to take
serious the lessons on HIV for the sake of
examination as opposed to behavioural and
social change.
Thoko Mnisi