CIRCB-Unesco strengthen HIV-Aids School-Free Campaign

The manual on the teaching of HIV/AIDs was presented to the teachers in the North West Region Last Friday.

Teachers in the North West Region have been edified on the manual for the teaching of HIV/AIDs in the basic education sector. The youths constitute the majority of the population of Cameroon and the prevalence rate amongst this group of people stands, disturbingly, at 9.05 per cent. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is causing more ravages in the school milieu as statistics show that every year about 500 teachers die from the disease. Furthermore, it is estimated that about 13 per cent of the teaching population will be HIV-infected if no concrete action is taken to educate and train both the pupils and teachers.

As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for inclusive education and social inclusion for Sub-Saharan Africa, the First lady Chantal Biya took upon herself to come with different books on HIV/AIDS to be included in the education system in Cameroon so as to educate the younger generation on the dangers of HIV/AIDs. The "social vaccine" as it is commonly called, will go a long way to eradicate the pandemic in the educational milieu in Cameroon.

While opening a workshop to that effect organised in Bamenda last Friday November 23, 2012, the team leader from the Chantal Biya International Reference Centre in charge of Basic Education (CIRCB), Jaji Mbah Rose Ateng, called on the teachers to use knowledge gained to teach the children. She said as vectors of knowledge, CIRCB could only use the teachers to get their message through to the children. She added that the First Lady Mrs Chantal Biya has the children of Cameroon at heart, reason why she herself was fully involved in the production of the books and teaching manuals. The main objective, she said, is to integrate concepts and notions related to the fight against HIV/AIDs, into the mainstream subjects of the nursery and primary schools as well as the Teacher Training Colleges as well as reinforcing individual and socio-professional capacities of teachers in the domains of STIs-HIV/AIDs and reproductive health.

During the different presentations, the speakers edified teachers on the content of the books as well as the manuals to the teachers. They said for better understanding, the book was separated according to classes, that is, nursery one and two, classes one and two, three and four, and five and six, with each having a Teacher's Guide.

Meanwhile, the Regional Delegate of Basic Education for the North West Region, Fon Susan, thanked the First Lady Mrs Chantal Biya for her humanitarian gesture and for having the children of the North West Region at heart. She promised to ensure that the programme is implemented to meet First Lady Chantal Biya's expectations. The CIRCB delegation donated equipment to education authorities in the Region on Saturday November 24.