Teachers’ HIV/AIDS project going well

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
THE HIV/AIDS workforce project is progressing well, with successful training and awareness for teachers carried out in schools across the country. 
The Papua New Guinea Teachers Association-facilitated project started in April last year and has already covered most schools in outer centres.
It is now moving into rural schools where teachers are trained, mentored and taught about HIV/AIDS issues, plus proactive ways on how to prevent and provide care and support to those affected.  
Coordinator Doris Omaken said the project intended to cover all schools and 40,000 teachers throughout the country from city schools to those in remote areas.
“The long-term goal is that work environment will be positive and proactive in the prevention of HIV in the workforce and be responsive to the needs of those affected by providing appropriate information, care and support,” she said.
Omaken said the Training of Teachers (TOT) process was a major step in moving the project ahead where the Teachers Safe Workplace Manual was created and would be used in the training and awareness workshops or given to schools for use by teachers.    
She said although funding was a problem initially, the project was faring well in trainings and workshops.
The project will run for five years and is supported by the Department of Education, National AIDS Council, Teachers Services Commission and other partners.
The project was established under the Education Department’s HIV/AIDS policy, where these four main areas looked at were prevention for students, care and support for students, HIV/AIDS in the workforce and managing education’s response to HIV/AIDS.