Education
Teacher absences in an HIV and AIDS context: evidence from nine schools in Kavango and Caprivi (Namibia)
Teacher absenteeism is a serious problem and it has major consequences on pupils learning opportunities
Authors:
V Castro; Y Duthilleul; F Caillods
Publisher:
International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO, 2007
This report from International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) investigates teacher absenteeism as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Namibia and the resulting impact on the country's education system. The study examines how some schools in high prevalence areas are managing the problem. The research was conducted using qualitative methodology, requiring in-depth observations and interviews. The report covers a limited number of schools and so the results cannot be generalised for the whole of Namibia but they do provide useful suggestions for countries where teacher absenteeism may worsen due to increased prevalence of HIV and AIDS.
The report concludes that teacher absenteeism is a serious problem and it has major consequences on the organisation of the teaching process and pupils’ learning opportunities. This problem has been aggravated by the HIV epidemic; although silence induced by stigma associated with the disease makes it impossible to assess how many absences are directly related to the pandemic. HIV and AIDS constitute a serious problem in Namibia and the authors argue that it has to be addressed as a management problem within education, which if left unresolved may result in serious and lasting damage to the educational system.
