The Quality of Primary School Teacher Training in HIV/AIDS Pedagogy in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe

Teacher training is important for both pre-service and in-service teachers to allow them to increase their competence and confidence in teaching about HIV/AIDS in schools. The link between instruction and culture in HIV/AIDS teaching and learning within African contexts is subject to debate. Some argue that African culture is adaptable to Western pedagogic styles, while others maintain that the two are dichotomised. For this study, a qualitative research approach was used to explore the quality of training received by primary school teachers in preparing them to teach about HIV/AIDS using participatory pedagogy. Purposive sampling was used to identify 15 participants from 10 schools. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews followed by non-participant observation were used to collect data from five teachers. Focus group discussions with 10 teachers were conducted and document analysis was also done. The study reveals that teachers have knowledge about participatory teaching techniques. However, this is not fully reflected in the documents and practical lesson delivery. The nature of primary school teacher training in HIV/AIDS pedagogy is weak and limited. There is a lack of teacher training to handle sensitive cultural issues in HIV/AIDS teaching and learning. The study concludes that primary school teachers’ preparation for HIV/AIDS teaching and learning is inadequate. It is recommended that both pre-service and in-service teachers should undergo a structured HIV/AIDS training programme to increase their competence and confidence in teaching this critical aspect.