Sfx’€¦ (Pupils interacting with their teacher)

KHOPOTSO: The class-room. According to recent research this could hold the key to reducing HIV risk among South African youth. The study was conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Wits University’€™s Rural AIDS and Development Research Programme (RADAR). The question the research wanted answered was: ‘€œIs being in school a protective or risk factor in South Africa’€? This was a random sample of 2000 young people in secondary school and those who left school early in rural Limpopo, from age 14 – 25. These were split into equal numbers of males and females. Researcher, Dr Julia Kim, explains the findings.

Dr JULIA KIM: What we found was that among both sexes, those young people who are attending school tended to have fewer sexual partners than their out of school peers. And I think what was particularly striking was that among boys those in school were five times less likely to be HIV-positive, and that for girls, not only did they have fewer partners, but they were more likely to use condoms and their partners tended to be boys closer to their own age rather than older men whom we know are risk partners for young girls in this country.

KHOPOTSO: What was the HIV infection pattern between the groups?

Dr JULIA KIM: Among young women we saw an HIV infection rate of about 10% and among young men about 3.4%… That was combined. Now, if you separated that out, among the young women (students) 5.7% infection rate and among non-students 16.6%. And if you look at the boys, the infection rate was about 1.6% in the students and about 8.2% in those who were out of school.

KHOPOTSO: The finding shows fewer numbers of infected boys and girls in the group attending school. Now was there anything specific about school that protected young people from HIV?    

Dr JULIA KIM: I don’€™t think it was some kind of HIV education programme that was happening there, because I think, like a lot of schools in South Africa, they are really struggling to get that kind of content into the curriculum.

I think because we were seeing how it was related to sexual behaviour, say for example, fewer sexual partners for both sexes, more condom use with male partners for the girls and also having partners who are close to their own age – those sorts of things suggest that it isn’€™t just around HIV knowledge and about education, but really about shaping the social network around young kids and giving them a sense of hope and giving them a sense of empowerment around their relationships. I think that’€™s the take-home message. It’€™s not going to be one factor within the school environment that is causing it, but probably a lot of positive social factors coming together that make school a more protective environment for young people.                              

KHOPOTSO: HIV prevalence is higher in countries with lower education levels, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. But studying the link between education and HIV risk is complex. Among older people, those who are better educated tend to have greater  mobility and income that may, in turn, increase their risk to HIV. On the other hand, most young people have a low socio-economic status. Thus, researchers argue that the effect of school attendance may directly influence the behaviour of young people such as these Johannesburg high school pupils.

SCHOOL PUPILS:  

I’€™m a very fly person. Maybe by now I’€™d be smoking, drinking’€¦ pregnant’€¦ But whilst I’€™m in here I’€™m learning a whole lot than I would be doing outside’€¦

The main point that brings me here is that we have a lot of diseases, so I’€™m scared (of ) being HIV-positive and to have a baby at an early stage.

It keeps me busy most of the time. That’€™s why I like it. It’€™s done a lot for me. I’€™ve learned, I’€™ve travelled’€¦

KHOPOTSO: Researcher, Dr Julia Kim, says the study has implications for policy. It suggests that schooling should be encouraged as a ‘€œsocial vaccine’€ aimed at HIV prevention among South African youth.

Dr JULIA KIM: Here in South Africa we know that we have school-fees exemptions for primary school, but that they’€™re not really being widely taken up because of all sorts of barriers and the bureaucracy involved. We also know it’€™s not just about school fees, but associated costs like books and uniforms that keep kids out and get them to drop out early. And then, finally, I think, we really have been pushing for universal primary school education. That comes up in the Millenium Development Goals of the United Nations, for example. But what our study suggests is that we also need to aim a bit higher and start looking at universal access to secondary school education because this is the age where kids are really vulnerable.        

For more informmation on the study contact the  Wits University Communication office: 011 717 1019   or shirona.patel@wits.ac.za