Integration of HIV and AIDS in higher education curriculum: a case study of an HIV course in the school of education of the University of Zambia

This study examined existing nature and effectiveness of HIV instruction and existing curricula
materials used in Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) to prepare their pre-service and in-service teachers
(PITs) to integrate Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
education into the mainstream curriculum teaching at Primary School level. The study showed that there was
greatest variance between Content Area Experts (CAEs) and PITs on the appropriate setting to teach children
about HIV and Acquired AIDS. The majority of CAEs (70.3 percent) stated the home setting while only 38.6
percent of TTI administrators choose home setting. While it was proposed by many respondents that it would
be good to consider a separate, required, and examinable subject on HIV and AIDS in primary schools, 82%
indicated that the best ways to teach about HIV topics is to integrate it into the core subjects for all primary
schools . Findings indicate the important role a multiple-setting approach is by teaching children about HIV
and AIDS in homes, schools, communities, and religious settings when considering reaching youths
throughout the country and in helping to overcome the AIDS epidemic. From the study, it was clear that
content experts need to arrange what should be taught in the curricula at different levels namely lower,
middle and upper primary levels.
Keywords: curriculum, mainstreaming, curricula materials, content