|
 Head
of HAMU
Mr.
Joshua Kahikuata
Introduction
The
main objectives of HAMU were developed on the basis of the National HIV
and AIDS policy for the Education sector. They are in particular dealing
with:
·
Prevention
To
enforce appropriate systems and safeguards to prevent sexual harassment,
abuse, exploitation or assault of learners and students
·
Treatment,
care and support, and impact mitigation
To
create and promote awareness for the right of all learners, in
particular OVC
To
provide treatment, care and support, education, literacy training to
staff in order to manage the challenges in the communities
·
Managing
the HIV and AIDS response
Design
an integrated HIV and AIDS Management organisation structure
·
Workplace
issues
To
ensure all employers in the education sector provide accurate
information on HIV and AIDS including advocacy, counselling and testing
and prevention methods to all employees
Main
AchievementsACHIEVEMENTS
Prevention
The
annual HIV and AIDS Awareness week was organised country-wide to raise
awareness among education sector employees and learners. Service providers
like NGOs were invited to exhibit their services in the Ministry of
Education. This was accompanied by various activities in the regions under
the management of the Regional AIDS Committees for Education, RACE. On the
Namibian Condom Awareness Day HAMU in cooperation with the Ministry of
Health and Social Services, MoHSS, distributed male and female condoms to
RACE in all 13 regions in
Namibia
.
HAMU
organised the commemoration of the World AIDS in Tsumkwe, Otjozondjupa
region. The campaign was aimed at energizing and supporting effective
response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. The San community is seen to be
left behind in development and awareness. Therefore HAMU recommended
celebrating the event in Tsumkwe. It was attended by the Dep. Minister of
Education, the Dep. Minister of Local Government and Housing, the UNESCO
country director and the UN resident coordinator.
HAMU
succeeded in mobilising all the Directorates in the Ministry of Education
to participate in HIV and AIDS activities, in particular by Global Fund
supported programmes. NIED is in the process of integrating HIV and AIDS
and life skills across the curriculum. This is to be finalised by 2007.
Pelvic and penis demonstration models were distributed to all RACE offices
country-wide. A sensitisation workshop on HIV and AIDS for Higher
Education officials was also conducted.
Treatment, Care and
Support and Impact Mitigation
A
handbook was produced for counselling in schools in cooperation with
Diagnostic Advisory and Training Services, DATS. Training in presentation
skills, which is an ongoing activity, was conducted within HAMU.
HAMU staff members were trained on management skills regarding
allocating roles and responsibilities. Various IEC materials were
distributed to the regions. This included materials from UNICEF, posters,
flyers and calendars. RACE
members were trained on treatment education. The national school feeding
programme was supported by the Global Fund. This is an ongoing activity.
Through RACE, SIAPAC and IBIS the Circles of Support were established in
Oshana region. The
multipurpose youth centres were included in HIV and AIDS programmes. This
was in particular done under Global Fund. Youth officers and commercial
sex workers were also trained and sensitized. Higher education officials
were sensitised on counselling and support methods.
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Managing the HIV and
AIDS Response
The
long term Technical Advisor was appointed on February 15th
2005. He will continue to work until February 15th 2007. The
Global Fund activities are well coordinated and monitored and integrated
into HAMU structures. A project manager, accountant and clerk were
appointed for the Global Fund activities.
Terms
of References for RACE were developed. In particular the roles and
responsibilities of the RACE coordinator and other RACE members were
developed in cooperation with RACE members. This also includes a
Monitoring and Evaluation system. HIV and AIDS activities are well
coordinated and supported in the various directorates of the Ministry of
Education. This is an ongoing activity. The main activities of the
directorates are coordinated under Global Fund. The directorates play a
vital role in the Sectoral Steering Committee.
The
Sectoral Steering Committee according to MTP III is established and
functional. All stakeholders of the Education Sector (NGOs, DPs, Unions,
Directorates, Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Ministry of
Youth), are included. The
Sectoral Steering Committee is divided into 4 working groups, who elect
their own group team leaders. These team leaders meet together with the
chair person the Executive Committee. HAMU provides the secretariat of
both the Sectoral Steering Committee and the Executive Committee.
Window
of Hope and My Future is My Choice programmes and a Monitoring and
Evaluation system is in place, which was done in cooperation with UNICEF.
HAMU has developed an organogram of HAMU members that allocates functions,
roles and responsibilities for everybody. The coordination of the
appointments was initiated and is an ongoing task for the next financial
year. The appointment of Education Officers for RACE was approved. The
regions are required to implement it.
A commitment register was developed for HAMU activities and is
fully operational.
Computers
were distributed to all RACE offices to set up e-connectivity. Most of the
RACE members have been trained to use the computers for e-mailing and
Internet research. The website has been developed and will go online soon.
Regional
School
counsellors and their assistants were trained on managing the HIV and AIDS
response in their respective regions. All stakeholders of the education
sector were introduced to MTP III.
Regional
visits were done to introduce Monitoring and Evaluation and conduct needs
assessment of the respective RACE committees. In the beginning of 2006 a
1-week capacity building workshop for RACE was conducted where RACE
members were trained on financial management. RACE members developed their
work plans within the scope of ETSIP. HAMU and RACE developed guidelines
for RACE committee members. They were informed on the Monitoring and
Evaluation, knowledge on HIV and AIDS and peer education.
Workplace Issues
A
workshop was organised for senior education managers to sensitise them on
workplace issues and HIV and AIDS. Terms of References were submitted to
advertise for a consultant to develop a workplace programme strategy.
PROBLEMS AND
CONSTRAINTS
Budget and Shortage of Staff
The
budget of HAMU was linked to EPI. This meant that EPI was budgeting for
HAMU and also recruiting for HAMU. An independent budget would make it
easier to meet the particular needs of HAMU to fulfil its goals with
growing demands. HAMUs role in the fight against HIV and AIDS in the
education sector in
Namibia
has grown in the last year. However, the staffing has remained the same.
Structural Adjustment for HAMU
The
growing demands on HAMU mean that HAMU cannot continue to be a unit within
another directorate. As a unit within another directorate HAMU is
restricted in its ability to respond to the national demands. The
“bottleneck” structure in HAMU affects its smooth operations, because
the roles and responsibilities are not clear defined.
Lack of
transport within the regions to reach the target groups on the grass root
level
Transport
has been a major constraint within some of the regions, ie. Hardap,
Kunene
, Omaheke and Erongo. These are very large regions with long distances to
travel. HAMU is experiencing a similar problem of transport. There is no
vehicle available to carry out HAMU duties.
Mandate
to budget for recruitment of qualified personnel.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The
relationship between HAMU, RACE, directorates in the Ministry of Education
and other organisations has improved considerably. The perception of HAMU
being a major role player in the fight against HIV and AIDS has been
realised. The relevant structures are in place on a solid basis of sound
policies. HAMU as the leading agency provides the secretariat on the
Sectoral Steering Committee to implement specific HIV and AIDS related
interventions according to MTP III. This includes the planning and
implementation of the Education and Training Sector Improvement Program,
HIV and AIDS strategies on the national and regional levels.
Recommendations
·
RACE Coordinators should be recruited in
all the 13 regions to implement MTP III, as spelt out in ETSIP.
·
HAMU operations should be expanded to
meet the increasing demands. HAMU’s capacity should also correspondingly
be strengthened in order to meet the growing demands. This includes the
recruitment of professional staff accompanied by capacity building
measures.
·
Because of the above, the status of HAMU
should be elevated from the current unit in EPI to an independent
Directorate with the necessary mandate that allows flexible and successful
actions according to the national and regional demands of the target
groups in the education sector.
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