KNUT/HIV/AIDS PROJECT

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) HIV & AIDS program has been in place for the last four years and was borne out of the following reasons:-

1.    Response to the Presidential declaration of HIV and AIDS as a national disaster in November 1999.
2.    A needs assessment (2004) carried out between KNUT and AFT on the impact of HIV and AIDS amongst the teachers (see results of the findings on www.knut.or.ke
3.    A further research between KNUT and PATC to establish the knowledge of HIV and AIDS and practice of health seeking behaviour among the KNUT members re-affirmed the need for the union to continuously address the HIV and AIDS pandemic as a threat to educational gains and specifically a derailment of moves towards achievement of education for all by the year 2015.  (See research findings from www.knut.or.ke   

Since 2005, the KNUT HIV and AIDS interventions have been in collaboration with American Federation of Teachers (AFT) through the PTA programme and Education International (EI) through the EFAIDS program.

As reported earlier, the PTA programme had by March 2007, reached over ten thousand teachers through the study circle method at the school level in fourteen districts of:-  Busia, Kakamega, Bondo, Kisumu, Kericho, Uasin Gishu, Mombasa, Malindi, Nakuru, Garissa, Nairobi, Machakos, Kirinyaga and Meru Central.

2007 Activities:  KNUT/PTA HIV and AIDS Evaluation

An evaluation project sponsored by KNUT, AFT and USAID project was done in February 2007.  The report showed that the PTA project was a good HIV & AIDS intervention model project amongst the teachers.  A recommendation was made to the partners to scale up the project to other districts.  A key challenge identified in the project management was lack of a comprehensive monitoring system and the physical absence of AFT as the prime partner in the project management.

A great deal of time in 2007 has been spent trying to address issues highlighted in the evaluation can be found in the KNUT website.

KNUT/AFT/SCHOOL BASED COMPETITION

In the process of winding up Phase I of the KNUT AFT project, the above activity launched in September 2006 was finalized in March 2007.  Out of the fourteen branches, with participating schools, 11 branches entered the preliminaries with Mombasa, Meru, Kisumu, Nakuru and Nairobi producing the best ten schools thus; Mikindani, Gikumene, Lake Primary, Kibuye Mixed, Igoji TTC, Mvita Primary, Angira Primary and Mukuru primary.

HIV and AIDS Policy dissemination:

The union has participated in policy dissemination workshops organized by Thika Branch for Kakuzi and Gatanga divisions.

Nyando branch, in line with the NEC recommendation (2006) that branches establish HIV & AIDS Unit launched the branch unit on 27th July, 2007.

The union also carried out a one-day policy dissemination workshop at Murang’a Teachers College.

On a large scale and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, we have been involved in the harmonisation of the national HIV & AIDS curriculum.  It is hoped that all key players in education will have a common curriculum that meets the needs of the teachers, learners and the general education sector response.

At the union level, we are revising the HIV and AIDS training curriculum with an intention of having more focus on the need to translate HIV and AIDS policies into practice.

KNUT-EFAIDS ACTIVITIES:

KNUT in collaboration with EI has spearheaded talks amongst the members of KENEPOTE, with an aim of helping build the capacity of KENEPOTE members to enable them carry out their activities as they give psychological support to each other and encourage other teachers to go for VCT.