ELRC LAUNCHES PCTA PROJECT

By Heins Worst

   

Mr M Govender (GS, ELRC) and Ms. Jeanine Collins (Labour Officer, US Embassy)

 

National and international leaders in education launched the ELRC PCTA project, an innovative initiative to mitigate the impact of AIDS on the Education Sector, on the 15th April 2008 at the ELRC National Office. The press conference was addressed by Mr. Duncan Hindle, (Director General, Department of Education), Mr. Nat LaCour, (Secretary Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers) and Ms. Jeanine Collins, the Labour Officer from the US Embassy.

The ELRC through its initiation, management and governance, guides the project implementation through performance-based grants to education sector unions SADTU, NAPTOSA, NATU, and SAOU and technical assistance is provided by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and the American Federation of Teachers Education Foundation (AFTEF). Teacher unions PEU and CTPA will become involved in year two of the programme.

   

Mr. Nat LaCour, (Secretary - Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers) addresses the conference

The ELRC-PCTA II project builds on the work and valuable lessons of a pilot project (PCTA I) which aimed to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS and to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS among teachers, students and the wider community in KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape between 2005 to 2007.

The ELRC-PCTA II aims to reach all primary and secondary educators in South Africa’s government schools over the next 5 years with information on HIV prevention, healthy living, HIV testing, counselling and care and access to confidential anti-retroviral treatment. Our partner, the Tshepang Trust, offers testing, counselling and treatment services to educators and their families.

The PCTA project is based on the findings of the research we reported in 2004, conducted by the Human Science Research Council, and supports the South African National AIDS Strategic Plan. 

We would also like to extend a Special Thanks to Ms Pat Keefer for her immense efforts in the planning, launch and implementation of the project. Without her, the project would never have been possible. THANK YOU – YOU ARE A STAR!!

We also acknowledge and appreciate the support received from the U.S. government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief [PEPFAR] through the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

We thank our sponsor to the event, PriceWaterhouseCoopers for their contributions in making the launch a huge success. Once again you have proved your commitment in ensuring quality public education for all.

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ELRC Engages In New Workplace Programme

By Heins Worst

With the estimated 12,3 million learners in South Africa, who are served by 386 600 teachers in more than 26 000 schools, a substantial effort in managing a response to HIV and AIDS across the education sector is required.  To address this need, the ELRC has proposed to manage a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace program for the education sector of South Africa.

The goal of the project is to reduce the number of new HIV infections among educators and their families and to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS on educators and their families by expanding access to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and care and support for those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.  The project will be led by the ELRC and implemented through performance-based grants to education sector unions including SADTU, NAPTOSA, NATU, and SAOU. Technical assistance will be provided by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and the American Federation of Teachers Education Foundation (AFTEF).

The ELRC will recruit a new project team under the supervision of the General Secretary that will be based in the ELRC national office in Centurion. In the first year of the project, the team will train 200 individuals on HIV prevention; 300 individuals to combat HIV/AIDS related stigma, and 300 individuals in regards to treatment literacy. 

The project aims to reach 15,000 individuals via one-on-one interactions with HIV-prevention messages, reach an additional 50 000 educators and their families with prevention messages via mass communications, and create 150 new sites at which condoms will be distributed and accessible to educators.  Within the first year, the project will ensure delivery of HIV testing to 3000 teachers, ensure referrals are provided to all teachers tested, and provide access to referral directories for union memberships at large.  Lastly, the project will strengthen the capacity of the above mentioned teachers unions to address HIV/AIDS.