Addressing HIV/AIDS in grade 8 and 9 through life orientation.

M.Ed.HIV/AIDS needs to be treated as a national emergency and all organs of the society must be fully engaged in the struggle against it, learners in particular. Some are nursing their dying parents, while others are taking care of their siblings as they face death. So it will be the schools that can and must play an important role in helping to empower the learners with the necessary skills to be ready to meet whatever challenge they may have to face in life. Of all the learning areas, it is through the Life Orientation learning area that learners can be best empowered. Most of the problems can be faced and solved with effort. Learners need to have information about HIV/AIDS presented to them in a way which is appropriate to their age in the context of Life Orientation. Children generally know very little about HIV/AIDS and parents do not, or cannot give their children the necessary information and guidance about the disease (van Niekerk, 1991:80). Thus it is the duty of the school to fill the gap. Women and girls are the most vulnerable, as most of them are exposed to abuse and violence, particularly sexual abuse. They are financially and materially dependent on men, which means that they often cannot decide when, with whom and in what circumstances to have sex (Nursing Update, 2000). Schools can make an important contribution towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS. In the absence of a cure, education is the only defence we have (van Niekerk, 1991:80). Almost every young person attends the school, so education offers a great opportunity to discuss the disease, and help the young people to protect themselves from becoming infected, getting sick and dying.Dr. M.C. van Loggerenber