Faith-based AIDS Awareness Programme for Primary and Secondary Schools in Nigeria
Nigeria is the most populous county in Africa, and AIDS is spreading
rapidly
here. The official figures published by the Federal Government of Nigeria
state that 5.4% of the adult population are already infected, and with a
population of approximately 115 million people, the number of people
infected
and affected by AIDS is huge. In some areas of the country the official
figures show 10% of young people are infected, and in one state up to 21%
of
the adult population is already infected. World-wide 11 people per minute
are
being infected by AIDS, and approximately 1 out of those 11 is in Nigeria.
The UN HIV / AIDS report on the global epidemic (June 1998) states:
"in Sub-Saharan Africa, the countries with the highest levels of HIV
infection are also those whose men and women are most literate. In this
region as in all others, more-educated people are likely to be better
informed about the dangers of HIV and have more disposable income than the
illiterate. So why do the figures suggest they are also more likely to be
HIV
infected? It may be that social changes that accompany more schooling are
also associated with behaviour that increases the risk of HIV infection.
It
may be that educated people with earning power use their disposable income
to
support behaviours."
Believing that education alone, without any real motivation to change
behaviour, was not having any significant dent to the shocking AIDS
statistics, a concerned group of both Muslims and Christians together
decided
to tackle the AIDS problem from a faith-based angle.
In Nigeria, teaching Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) and Christian
Religious Knowledge (CRK) are both mandatory in schools. In Africa, and
certainly in Nigeria, religious faith still affects almost all of life.
Prayer is offered at most public functions, God is mentioned in most
greetings and conversations, and faith is part of life. There is little
comparison here to the western world, where often a strong belief in God
is
seen as fanaticism, or an adherence to His guidelines as extreme. Both
Muslims and Christians in Nigeria have a strong basis of belief on which
to
teach the life skills needed to avoid AIDS. Teaching on sexual practice
cannot effectively be done in Nigeria without recognising and utilising
the
strong faith base that exists in the minds of the vast majority of people
here. When linked to AIDS education, these beliefs create a strong
motivation
for change in behaviour and indeed for caring for those affected by AIDS.
In Plateau State, Nigeria, the Fellowship of Christian Students - FCS
is an
affiliate with Scripture Union, Africa - along with both Islamic and
Christian teachers in the Religious Studies Department in the University
of
Jos came up with a Faith-Based AIDS Awareness programme for secondary
schools. They produced a teacher's manual for both IRK and CRK teachers to
use. This pilot programme had 6 components, including:
1) 3-lesson course on human sexuality from a Christian viewpoint and a
Muslim
viewpointto be taught by the CRK teachers and Islamic Studies teachers.
2) A lesson on AIDS to be taught by the guidance counsellor health
officer.
3) A school wide rally focusing on AIDS.
4) A 12 page cartoon type booklet telling about AIDS for every student.
5) A writing/drawing contest to encourage students to process what they
were
learning.
6) A student leader training workshop.
They presented this plan to the Plateau State government. The State
governor,
Mr Joshua Dariye, accepted it and agreed not only to approve the plan but
to
fund a pilot project as well
with a grant of a little over $10,000. The pilot project was limited to
the
two local government areas (counties) in the Jos area. The training of
student leaders to be the ones to present the materials to their peers at
the
school rallies was particularly helpful.
In the last couple of months the same team of Islamic and Christian
teachers
have written a primary school manual, made up of seven lessons. This is
aimed
at the last year of primary school. The first three lessons are dealing
with
the Islamic and Christian teaching on human sexuality. The last four
lessons
are teaching about AIDS. All of the lessons outlined in a teachers manual,
have dramas and interesting classroom activities to help the lessons to be
understood. The Muslim and Christian teacher's manuals are distinctive to
each faith in the first three lessons and then identical for the last four
lessons. There is hope that this material will be used in Nigerian schools
nation-wide moves are being made to that end.
Your article rightly points our how disadvantaged women are in
Africa. In
Nigeria we especially see many young girls at risk, often for the reasons
you
outline. But we also see that religious faith and teaching can be the
allies
of women, and can help prevent AIDS. We have seen that young men can learn
respect for women and both boys and girls can learn that sex in the way
and
the place God intended is positive, beautiful and desirable, and the
alternative is waste, death and destruction. With faith-based teaching the
stigma of AIDS can be lessened through seeing those PLWHA as those whom
God
loves and asks us to care for.
With true understanding of AIDS as an infectious disease, young
people can
see that AIDS is a disease that can be prevented, rather than as a result
of
a curse or bewitching. We see that when some religious organisations teach
that AIDS is a curse and God's judgement, then it is easy to self-
righteously
condemn those infected, rejecting and ostracising them. It is then easy to
deny any responsibility, and justify our non-involvement. But true
faith-based teaching emphasising a non-judgemental attitude and practical
care, can help communities and families deal with AIDS.
From a faith basis, the materials written for primary and
secondary schools
encourages teachers to guide the students to a place where they see both
men
and women as valuable before God, deserving equal respect. Gender issues
are
discussed. Teachers also deal with proper and improper expressions of
sexuality. On the AIDS issue students are not only taught the facts about
AIDS, but how to care for family members with AIDS and to have positive
attitudes to those with AIDS.
Jean Garland.
P.O. Box 261, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
E-mail British nurse and midwife.
AIDS educator with Faith-Based AIDS Awareness programme and trainer with
Fellowship of Christian Students Aid for AIDS programme.
Rapid Response:
Faith-based AIDS Awareness Programme for Primary and Secondary Schools in Nigeria
Nigeria is the most populous county in Africa, and AIDS is spreading
rapidly
here. The official figures published by the Federal Government of Nigeria
state that 5.4% of the adult population are already infected, and with a
population of approximately 115 million people, the number of people
infected
and affected by AIDS is huge. In some areas of the country the official
figures show 10% of young people are infected, and in one state up to 21%
of
the adult population is already infected. World-wide 11 people per minute
are
being infected by AIDS, and approximately 1 out of those 11 is in Nigeria.
The UN HIV / AIDS report on the global epidemic (June 1998) states:
"in Sub-Saharan Africa, the countries with the highest levels of HIV
infection are also those whose men and women are most literate. In this
region as in all others, more-educated people are likely to be better
informed about the dangers of HIV and have more disposable income than the
illiterate. So why do the figures suggest they are also more likely to be
HIV
infected? It may be that social changes that accompany more schooling are
also associated with behaviour that increases the risk of HIV infection.
It
may be that educated people with earning power use their disposable income
to
support behaviours."
Believing that education alone, without any real motivation to change
behaviour, was not having any significant dent to the shocking AIDS
statistics, a concerned group of both Muslims and Christians together
decided
to tackle the AIDS problem from a faith-based angle.
In Nigeria, teaching Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) and Christian
Religious Knowledge (CRK) are both mandatory in schools. In Africa, and
certainly in Nigeria, religious faith still affects almost all of life.
Prayer is offered at most public functions, God is mentioned in most
greetings and conversations, and faith is part of life. There is little
comparison here to the western world, where often a strong belief in God
is
seen as fanaticism, or an adherence to His guidelines as extreme. Both
Muslims and Christians in Nigeria have a strong basis of belief on which
to
teach the life skills needed to avoid AIDS. Teaching on sexual practice
cannot effectively be done in Nigeria without recognising and utilising
the
strong faith base that exists in the minds of the vast majority of people
here. When linked to AIDS education, these beliefs create a strong
motivation
for change in behaviour and indeed for caring for those affected by AIDS.
In Plateau State, Nigeria, the Fellowship of Christian Students - FCS
is an
affiliate with Scripture Union, Africa - along with both Islamic and
Christian teachers in the Religious Studies Department in the University
of
Jos came up with a Faith-Based AIDS Awareness programme for secondary
schools. They produced a teacher's manual for both IRK and CRK teachers to
use. This pilot programme had 6 components, including:
1) 3-lesson course on human sexuality from a Christian viewpoint and a
Muslim
viewpointto be taught by the CRK teachers and Islamic Studies teachers.
2) A lesson on AIDS to be taught by the guidance counsellor health
officer.
3) A school wide rally focusing on AIDS.
4) A 12 page cartoon type booklet telling about AIDS for every student.
5) A writing/drawing contest to encourage students to process what they
were
learning.
6) A student leader training workshop.
They presented this plan to the Plateau State government. The State
governor,
Mr Joshua Dariye, accepted it and agreed not only to approve the plan but
to
fund a pilot project as well
with a grant of a little over $10,000. The pilot project was limited to
the
two local government areas (counties) in the Jos area. The training of
student leaders to be the ones to present the materials to their peers at
the
school rallies was particularly helpful.
In the last couple of months the same team of Islamic and Christian
teachers
have written a primary school manual, made up of seven lessons. This is
aimed
at the last year of primary school. The first three lessons are dealing
with
the Islamic and Christian teaching on human sexuality. The last four
lessons
are teaching about AIDS. All of the lessons outlined in a teachers manual,
have dramas and interesting classroom activities to help the lessons to be
understood. The Muslim and Christian teacher's manuals are distinctive to
each faith in the first three lessons and then identical for the last four
lessons. There is hope that this material will be used in Nigerian schools
nation-wide moves are being made to that end.
Your article rightly points our how disadvantaged women are in
Africa. In
Nigeria we especially see many young girls at risk, often for the reasons
you
outline. But we also see that religious faith and teaching can be the
allies
of women, and can help prevent AIDS. We have seen that young men can learn
respect for women and both boys and girls can learn that sex in the way
and
the place God intended is positive, beautiful and desirable, and the
alternative is waste, death and destruction. With faith-based teaching the
stigma of AIDS can be lessened through seeing those PLWHA as those whom
God
loves and asks us to care for.
With true understanding of AIDS as an infectious disease, young
people can
see that AIDS is a disease that can be prevented, rather than as a result
of
a curse or bewitching. We see that when some religious organisations teach
that AIDS is a curse and God's judgement, then it is easy to self-
righteously
condemn those infected, rejecting and ostracising them. It is then easy to
deny any responsibility, and justify our non-involvement. But true
faith-based teaching emphasising a non-judgemental attitude and practical
care, can help communities and families deal with AIDS.
From a faith basis, the materials written for primary and
secondary schools
encourages teachers to guide the students to a place where they see both
men
and women as valuable before God, deserving equal respect. Gender issues
are
discussed. Teachers also deal with proper and improper expressions of
sexuality. On the AIDS issue students are not only taught the facts about
AIDS, but how to care for family members with AIDS and to have positive
attitudes to those with AIDS.
Jean Garland.
P.O. Box 261, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
E-mail
British nurse and midwife.
AIDS educator with Faith-Based AIDS Awareness programme and trainer with
Fellowship of Christian Students Aid for AIDS programme.
Competing interests: No competing interests