(a) whether the Government has chalked out several programmes for school going children to fight HIV/ AIDS;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has also written to States in this regard; and
(d) if so, the response of the States thereto?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. PANABAKA LAKSHMI)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. NACO in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) developed a
National Action Plan during 2005-06 on HIV Prevention Education among young people with the following key
components:
I. co-curricular coverage of 100% secondary and senior secondary schools,
II. Integration of skills based age –appropriate HIV Prevention Education into the curriculum for classes IX-XII,
III. integration of HIV Prevention Education components in in-service / pre-service teachers training,
IV. developing linkages with adult education to reach out of school children under Adolescence Education
Programmes with a view to equip over 10 million adolescents leaving the school system every year,
V. Incorporating measures to prevent stigma and discrimination against learners/students and educators and
ensure access to life skills education for HIV prevention into education policy.
National AIDS Control Organisation in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development is implementing
co-curricular component of Adolescence Education Programme in secondary & senior secondary schools (class IX & XI)
as one of the key HIV prevention programs for in-school youth aimed at providing:
# information about adolescence to cope with growing up process
# basic facts on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
# developing and reinforcing life skills that enables them to protect themselves from abuse.
# dispelling myths and clarify misconceptions about HIV
# Finding ways where they can help fight the HIV epidemic and encourage positive attitudes towards people living
with HIV.
So far out of 1,44,409 government secondary and senior secondary schools in the country, in 112345 secondary & senior
secondary schools, two teachers in each school have been trained under the programme.
(c) & (d) As stated above Adolescence Education Programme is being implemented in close coordination with State
Department of Education which has resulted in scaled up coverage of the programme across the country. After the
launch of Adolescence Education Programme in 2005, State Core Committees have been constituted to support the
planning and operationalisation of Adolescence Education Programme, chaired by the Secretary, State Education
Department. State Core Committees meet regularly to support smooth implementation of AEP. However, recently,
seven States have suspended the implementation of the Programme advocating a review of the toolkit, primarily
objecting to certain pictures. Accordingly, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has set up a National
Adolescence Education Programme toolkit review task force comprising of academicians, educationists, child
psychologists, Communication Experts, Non-governmental Organisations, National Council of Educational
Research & Training and Central Board of Secondary Education to review the existing educational material.The
first meeting of the task force was held on 08th August, 2007. It was decided to prepare a guideline on content
and pedagogical aspects of the AEP for guidance to State Governments and implementing agencies.