SAPLER Pioneers (peer-educators) sexuality-education in schools programme (3-monthly report 31st Oct. 98)
Activities conducted
1. Formal lessons in sexuality education in schools. As in the first 2 terms, most Pioneers succeeded in providing all or nearly all classes in their school with a sexuality-education lesson every week as planned. Two Pioneers left the programme and two experienced sex-educators joined. With one exception, all current Pioneers are now experienced and have worked well.
They continued to be well received by pupils and teachers, enjoyed their work and stimulated discussion by the pupils themselves about the dangers, opportunities and choices that they face as maturing individuals. (Some inexperienced Pioneers initially worked together with an experienced Pioneer in a school during the first and second term, before moving to their own school).
The suggestion of Mrs. Marumo, the manager for Odi District, that Pioneers who had completed two full terms teaching should move to new schools was successful. Six of the nine Pioneers thus moved to new schools for the third and fourth terms.
16 schools have been served by the programme for at least two terms this year, rather than the original 11 envisaged in the contract. In addition, Abel Motshoane High School, which was taught successfully in 1997 but had many girls falling pregnant early this year was taught one day a week by the Pioneer stationed at nearby Tswaing High School. The manager, Mr. Edward Mabunda, continued to teach classes at schools he visited.
Mrs. Marumo’s suggestion that the new postings move to new areas also worked well. Five of the schools are in the Klipgat area, which is traditionally minded. Schools generally do not seem to be as well managed as Winterveldt South and the need for sexuality-education is greater. The other posting, to the neglected, semi-rural Winterveldt North Area, was also successful.
2. Private consultation. Individual pupils consulted Pioneers about personal problems. Often, referral to a clinic or social worker followed.
3. Several public functions such as workshops were held and the safe sex message delivered at appropriate events, particularly by Mr Mabunda. Liaison with other organisations involved in safe sex was maintained. Attempts to reach out-of-school youth through football clubs did not develop but will be renewed during the long Christmas holidays. Church youth groups will also be contacted.
Achievements
1. Reduction of teen pregnancy (and by implication HIV incidence). As specified in the contract, it was decided to measure teenage pregnancy as a proxy for AIDS-aware safe sex behaviour. (Direct measurement of HIV infection is a controversial issue and beyond the capacity of SAPLER). July report figures are shown in brackets. On this basis, the annual pregnancy rate appears to be 3.6%. (2.0%) from 46 (26) pregnancies in 2 terms amongst an estimated 2450 (2624) girls. Statistics are incomplete for three schools with estimated 1798 (1438) girls.
As discussed in the July report, this rate still seems rather low. (The Amref survey of Winterveldt in October 1997 found 27% of females aged 12 to 19 were pregnant or mothers which implies annual teenage pregnancy rate of about 11%, which is the national average.) It is nearly double the Winterveldt South rate probably because Klipgat is more traditionally minded and its schools on average do not seem to be as well run.
2. Substantial increase in sexuality education. About 7100 (7500) pupils were taught sexuality education most weeks, for an estimated average of 5717 (5954) pupils per week of the school term, by a young person from the community, who elicited enthusiastic discussion that is typically not shared with guidance teachers. By the end of the year, approximately 14500 pupils will have had at least 2 terms of such sexuality education, at a cost to NWP of approximately R6 per pupil. Our anecdotal evidence suggests only a fraction of this sexuality education would have been given by the guidance teacher, who has exam subjects to teach, and much less effectively.
3. Group launch of new schools for the programme in 1999. SAPLER is very grateful that a group launch of new schools for the programme in 1999 will be launched from the Ga-Rankuwa education offices in Zone 5 on 27th November 1998. This will allow a smooth start to 1999 and especially assist our manager Mr Edward Mabunda. In addition, SAPLER will be provided with office facilities at these offices. SAPLER hopes to interact much more closely with the education department in 1999 and the programme is expected to benefit accordingly.
Problems experienced
1. Back-up must be provided at schools after a Pioneer moves to another school. Our manager Mr Mabunda requires transport so as to be able to visit old schools regularly and liaise with the clinics or arrange sexuality-education lessons if necessary. (but see 3 above and 2,3 and 4 below)
2. Pregnancy statistics are not independently collected or verified. At present, our Pioneers themselves obtain this information from each class teacher.
Action: We respectfully request that the Education Department institute formal reporting of each school dropout, and report these data directly to your office, as a proxy for AIDS awareness, and as a measure in its own right, as teen pregnancy is also a serious problem. Ideally, such reporting would take place monthly and the statistics furnished to schools, SAPLER and other NGOs.
3. No independent evaluation or monitoring of the effectiveness of Pioneers is done, although the direction of the guidance teacher seems to be usually sound. Action: We believe this problem will be addressed by the closer liaison with Ga-Rankuwa District education (see 3. above and 4. below).
4. Reproductive Health Services should ideally be provided at schools. Condoms, contraceptive injections, the morning after pill and STD referrals can be much more effectively provided by nursing sisters visiting schools.
Action: St Peters Mandlenkosi Family Health Company: We are working on the creation of a school health team of community health workers led by professional nurses to serve all the schools in the district with regular fortnightly visits, liaising with the clinics and making provision for school holidays. The two professional nurses are already funded by Odi district health and have premises at St Peter’s and St Josephs. We require funding for the CHW’s. The team will be a section 21 company (not for gain) directed by a board elected by members of the community. If this project is successful, it can probably win funding thereafter by Odi Health District.
5. Exam preparation by high schools. When preparation for exams begins, sexuality-education classes are cut back. Action: Put Pioneers into high schools in the first two terms, and into middle schools in the third and fourth term.
6. Short lesson time. Many teaching days are lost to school organisation at the beginning of term, exams at the end of term, and various school functions during the term. In addition, the school day ends early and school holidays are long. Our Pioneers therefore are under-employed and need additional work.
Action: We would like the Education department to provide incentives to schools to maximise lesson time and lessons delivered.
We will send detailed reporting on teaching days shortly.
7. Lack of Condoms. It is often difficult to always supply condoms to schools.
Action: We need better planning with Odi Hospital. Also, we promote delay of sexual activity, faithfulness and contraceptive injections in preference to condoms.
Items of expenditure to date.
Our contract with the NWP programme specified that salaries would be paid from NWP funding (R81000), whilst operating costs (R21 0000) would be sought from the private sector. Recently, SA Breweries donated R21000 for operating costs.
Salaries
Our 7 new pioneers and secretary were paid a stipend of R200 per month until NWP funding was announced and received (24th April), when they were back-paid for February and March.
With minor adjustments (one Pioneer left and one was recruited), salaries have been paid each month since February as follows:
Senior Manager: R2000 (R1100 in Feb and March)
Junior Manager: R1100
Senior Pioneer: R1100
7 Pioneers 7* R500: R3500
Secretary: R500
Total: R8200 * 10 - 1800= R80200
The new schools are distant:
Travel Allowance (4* 130 + 2 * 210 ) * 4= R3760
Total R83960
The shortfall of R83760 - R81000 of R2760 will be covered by the interest earned or carried by SAPLER. Unfortunately, there is no surplus to be paid as a bonus to the Pioneers at the end of November.
We would greatly appreciate accelerating arrangements for AIDS programmes in 1999, so that, if continued work by SAPLER is approved, we are able to provide our Pioneers with an income over December, January and February.
Operating Costs (funded by SA Breweries)
Approximate costs incurred so far are:
UNESCO Teacher and student guides for training course R1450
PPASA Life Skills and HIV/Aids Education manuals R925
PPASA Responsible Teenage Sexuality books R700
Stationery R2000
Telephone R2000
Computer: R9500
Rent St Peters: R1800
Total: R18375