Project Database

EFAIDS Programme

Country:	Zimbabwe
Start Date:	2006-01-01
Deadline:	2010-12-31
Host organisations:	Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (ZIMTA)
Co-operating organisations:	Education International (EI) World Health Organisation (WHO) Education Development Center (EDC)
Related Links:
Grouping:	EI Education For All-HIV/AIDS Prevention (EFAIDS) Programme

This project is still in progress.

Project Summary:

The Zimbabwean Teachers' Association has been working with EI on school health and HIV and AIDS prevention since 2001, and joined the EFAIDS Programme in 2006.

Activities in 2008

The Zimbabwean Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) succeeded in implementing most aspects of their planned activities for 2008, despite the unstable social, political and economic situation that reigned throughout most of the year. Notwithstanding the project successes, the EFAIDS activities took place against a backdrop of deteriorating education standards, where many schools remained closed for the greater part of the year, a blow for the attainment of quality Education For All.

ZIMTA took great strides in their work to achieve Greater Involvement of teachers Living with HIV. Teaming up with UNESCO and the Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ), ZIMTA organised a workshop which included ten teachers living with HIV representing the ten provinces. Together with union members these teachers identified challenges and presented recommendations to improving the education sector response to HIV and AIDS. The issues raised during the workshop will improve ZIMTA advocacy to the government on these issues. The workshop was seen as an important step towards forming a network of positive teachers.

The union worked on an EFAIDS policy document for schools, which was approved by the national executive and will be disseminated in 2009.

Advocacy in 2008 was shaped by the changing landscape of the education sector. A focus was placed on trying to revive the education sector, and to emphasise to the authorities the primacy of quality education. The precarious situation of teachers, both economically and politically, is a barrier to quality education, and ZIMTA worked hard to achieve an improvement in teachers’ working conditions. Thanks to activism during 2008, ZIMTA reports that as of early 2009 teachers have begun to return to work as they feel more secure economically and politically. As chair of the EFA coalition and as a member of the UNICEF Education Working Group, ZIMTA has consistently promoted and lobbied for quality education.

The EFAIDS resources on Gender Safe Schools and Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV were introduced at a workshop in August. 26 Master Trainers and 24 newly elected ZIMTA union leaders participated in this training. In December the Study Circles Conveners Training took place, but with reduced participation as a result of the challenging environment. Nonetheless during the course of the year 136 Conveners received training. Further training giving teachers skills in HIV prevention, care, anti-discrimination tactics, and gender issues resulted from a partnership between ZIMTA and UNICEF. ZIMTA achieved coverage of 136 schools during 2008.

ZIMTA had planned to undertake research into the ‘Adequacy of Teacher Training on HIV/AIDS in school’, but given the prevailing environment, ZIMTA decided it was appropriate to conduct research related to the teachers’ conditions. The research started in 2008 and will be completed during 2009.

Activities in 2006

Trainings at national and provincial level introduced the concept of EFA to trainers not yet familiar with it, as well as to promote work on other EFAIDS issues. The union engaged in partnerships with unions and other Civil Society Organisations to campaign to secure more resources to respond to AIDS and related stigma.

Similar projects elsewhere in the region:

Common Name:	Zimbabwe
Official Name:	Republic of Zimbabwe

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