Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 2

Written Answers. - AIDS Awareness Programme.

Ivor Callely

Question:

129 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of the AIDS Awareness Programme that is being promoted in post-primary schools; the feedback from this programme; the proposals, if any, she has to extend this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

As a result of co-operation between the Departments of Health and Education a set of educational resource materials on HIV/AIDS for post-primary schools was developed and issued to schools in October, 1990. Those materials included an information booklet for teachers and sets of model lesson plans dealing with themes such as infection and the immune system, information on HIV/AIDS, ways of prevention of transmission of HIV and issues such as responsible behaviour, care of persons infected by HIV and community responses to the problem and were aimed at pupils in the age-range 14 to 18 years.

During the school-years 1990/91 and 1991/92, seminars for post-primary teachers were held throughout the country on the use of those materials.

In the autumn of 1992, a survey on the use of the materials was conducted with the assistance of the Education Research Centre, St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra. This survey indicated that approx. 89 per cent of post-primary schools were making provision for education about HIV/AIDS and that about 98 per cent of those schools were using the materials developed by the Departments of Education and Health. In general, schools were very positive in regard to the materials with over 80 per cent of respondents rating them as "excellent" or "good" on attributes such as content, effectiveness and ease of use in the classroom.

Education about HIV/AIDS is an ongoing issue and is being review by both Departments at present. Among the issues under consideration is the question of information/education for pupils in age ranges not covered by the current materials and the issue of guidelines on infection control in schools generally.