1.1 Background to the Study
The
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS) was first discovered in the early 1980s. It has spread more
rapidly than most diseases in recent history, having social cultural, economical
and moral repercussions on individuals, families, communities and threatening
foundations of entire societies. Over the years, the link between HIV/AIDS and
impoverishment has grown and even stronger as the diseases is infecting and
affecting the younger generation who are the productive labour force of every
economy. HIV infections are spreading quickly within the youth populations and
what happens to them today will determine what becomes of them and their
communities in the future. An estimated 11.8 million young people aged 15-24
are living with HIV/AIDS, and half of all new infections, over 6,000 daily, are
occurring among them. (The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS,
2003.).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has
identified HIV/AIDS as one of the world’s first health emergency and an urgent
threat to global public health. It reveals that HIV/AIDS is the worlds’ second
widely spread communicable disease and the sixth common cause of death
globally. (WHO, 2004) In international circles in recent years, it has received
as much attention as other pressing global questions like war, terrorism,
environmental degradation among others. According UNAIDS (2006), about 65
million people have been affected and more than 25
million people have died of AIDS related causes. The situation is made even
gloomier, with 29 million new infections estimated by 2020 if prevention and
treatment are not accelerated.
Physical education is the
main source of physical activity for children during the school day. Parents
and other adult including teachers and school board members play an important
role in ensuring that children have regular access to physical education and
that children get enough physical activity.
Health authorities recommend
children get at lest 60 miuntes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily
whist children do not get enough sedentary living is one of the most
challenging public health problems. Physical in activity is the fourth leading
cause of death. And sedentary children are at risk for overweight, obesity and
other chronic disease.
The United Nations
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report for 2006, states that several
countries report success in reducing HIV infections. However, the overall
infection rate is on the rise. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the highest
affected region. The WHO (2004) has classified HIV/AIDS as the main cause of
adult mortality in Africa. It affirms that about 3.1% and 3.9% of all male and
female deaths respectively are caused by ADDS related diseases. In the same
vein, UNAIDS (2006) fact sheet states that 63% of the global HIV/AIDS infections
are in Africa, South of the Sahara with the prevalence rate highest among the
age group 15-49 years. It is for which reason African heads of states declared
AIDS as a state of emergency in the continent during the African Development
Forum (2000).
UNAIDS/WHO (2007) estimate
the number of persons living with HIV worldwide is
33.2 million. Deaths related
to HIV/AIDS declined from 2.2 million in 2005 to 2.0 million in 2007. However,
the number of new infections rose to 2.5 times higher than the number of infected
persons receiving treatment (UNAIDS, 2008). Rather than being complacent, this
underscores the need for countries to increase their commitment to prevention
efforts. This is necessary if this pandemic must start reversal in order to
meet the 2015 target by the MDGs and to save humanity from an impending
scourge. The WHO (2005) observes that young people in Nigeria are highly
affected. Indeed, a third of Nigerians infected are 18-35 years of age. This
age group constitutes all Nigerians who are in secondary school, high school,
University, vocational schools, professional schools and those in active
service. Mbanya, Martyn & Paul (2008) stated the socio-economic impact of
the disease is profound with growing numbers of sections being affected, and
high hospital bed occupancy rampant. They add that this results in
overstretched medical personnel and extra burden to the health and education
sectors where school teachers are reported to be unproductive on several counts
and morbidity increasing from opportunistic infections. This of course, poses a
major challenge to the socio-economic development of the country considering
the fact that the age group below 18 makes up about 42% of the entire
population (Population Reference Bureau, 2009).
Health Education is not a
recent teaching in the school system. A look through the curricular development
in Nigerian Education reveals the various ways in which health related issues
has been treated. Attempts to introduce population and family life education
into both formal and informal sector of Nigerian education could be traced back
to 1980's. By 1985, reproductive health education has been integrated into some
school subjects like Biology, Integrated Science, Physical and Health
Education, Home Economics, Religious and Moral Education at both the Junior
Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) levels. As a result of
globalisation many things are wrong with our social life styles. One of the
effects of the bad social life of our people is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Despite
the various attempt to mould the life of our people on sexual matters and
moderate their behaviour through the use of condoms in preventing HIV/AIDS, not
much success have been attained. Adara, (2003).
Physical & Health
Education Teachers in secondary schools perceive that introducing HIV/AIDS Education
in school will reduce the epidemic caused by the disease which the study
intends to look at.
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
Over the years, the
researcher has noticed with keen interest that there has been an increase in
death of people that are associated with HIV/AIDS issues. Different people have
come up with claims and counter claims about cures to HIV/AIDS. Scientific studies have proved that no cure has been
found for HIV/AIDS. The dilemma which people have been thrown into due to no
solution to the ravaging HIV/AIDS has led to the view of Physical and health
education in secondary school that teaching HIV/AIDS Education in schools can
be used to fight war against AIDS.
One school of
thought believed that a separate school subject should be introduced for the
purpose of addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS epidemic. Another school of
thought however argue that the teaching of HIV/AIDS education will be an
attempt to overload the already overloaded school subjects and over tasking the
teachers.
The problem of
this study is designed to investigate the influence of gender, educational
qualification, teaching experience, and location of school on the perception of
Physical and Health Education teachers on the teaching of HIV/AIDS Education in
secondary schools.
1.3 Purpose
of this Study
The purpose of
this study is to investigate the influence of gender, educational
qualification, teaching experience, and location of school on the perception of
Physical and Health Education teachers on the teaching of HIV/AIDS Education in
secondary schools and how the skills attained in schools can be used to fight
the war pose by HIV/AIDS epidemic.
1.4
Research Questions
1.
Will gender influence the
perception of physical and health education teachers on HIV/AIDS education
teaching in secondary schools?
2.
Will educational qualification
influence the perception of physical and health education teachers on HIV/AIDS education
teaching?
3.
Will teaching experience
influence the perception of
physical and health education teachers
on HIV/AIDS education teaching?
4.
Will location of school influence the perception of physical and health
education teachers on HIV/AIDS education teaching?
1.5
Research Hypotheses
The following
research hypotheses were tested in the research study:
1.
Gender will not significantly
influence the perception of Physical and health education teachers on HIV/AIDS education
in schools.
2. Educational qualification will not
significantly influence the perception of Physical and health education
teachers on HIV/AIDS education in schools.
3. There will be no significant influence on
the perception of Physical and health education on HIV/AIDS education in
schools based on their teaching experience.
4.
There will be no significant
influence on the perception of Physical and health education on HIV/AIDS education
in schools based on the location of their school.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study will
be of great benefit to teachers, educators, curriculum developers, authors,
parents, students and the general society.
To the teachers,
the findings will show their current view on HIV/AIDS education in secondary
school. The study shall provide correct analysis of teaching which will help to
reshape things for better. It will also provide remedial strategies in the
reconstruction of school curriculum.
The findings of
the study will be of great importance to curriculum designers in planning for
curriculum programme in schools. It will help them to know what to include in
the content of the curriculum so as to help solve the problem of HIV/AIDS epidemic.
To the
educators, the finding of the will let them see the need to provide necessary in-service
programme such as workshop, seminars etc. for teachers so as to increase their
skills in teaching.
To the authors,
the finding of the study will help to structure their books in such a way that
will simplify the content of the syllabus to the students. By the results of
this study, authors will organise contents of their textbooks in such a way
that students will be able to cope with themes of HIV/AIDS.
The result of
the study will also serve as basis for further research work in the area of
using education to solve the problems of HIV/AIDS.
1.7
Limitation of the Study
The problem that
will be encountered by researcher will be lack of co-operation from the
respondents and the inability to cover many schools due to time constrain.
1.8
Delimitation of the Study
The study is
delimited to the following:
1. Public
Secondary Schools in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, Lagos State.
2. One-
hundred Physical and health education teachers in five secondary schools in
Osodi/Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
3. JSS3
Students in five selected secondary schools in
4. Descriptive survey research method.
5. The
use of self- structured questionnaire only as the instrument.
6. The
use of two research assistants
7. Frequency
counts and percentages for demographic data, while inferential statistics of chi-square
for hypothesis testing at 0.05 alpha level.
1.9
Operational Definition of Terms
The following
terms are defined for the purpose of this study:
AIDS:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Condom: Thin rubber covering wear on penis to protect sexual disease during intercourse
Epidemic:
Disease attacking many people at the same
time
HIV:
Human Immune Deficiency Syndrome which
leads to AIDS
Perception:
To view or feeling about an issue
Precaution:
Something done to prevent future trouble.
Physical
education: Is
the main source of physical activity for children during the school
day ,
Health:
is being in an optimal level of wellness
of the resident in Oshodi/Isolo Academic Performance: This refers:
to the level or rate at which students in school perform in their academic
career. It also shows the level at which students carry out their school works
at a given period of time and the result of it.
Students:
This means a person who is studying at a
college, polytechnic, or university;
boy or girl
attending schools; anyone who studies or who is devoted to the acquisition of
knowledge.
Teacher:
A teacher is a person who provides
education for pupils (children) and student
(Adults). The
roles of teacher are often formal and on-going carried out at a school or
other place of
formal education
Education
can be referred to as an act or process of
developing and cultivating, (whether physically, mentally, or morally) ones
mental activities or senses; the expansion, strengthening, and discipline, of
one's mind, faculty, etc.; the forming and regulation of principles and
character in order to prepare and fit for any calling or business by systematic
instruction
Public
School: These are school
that are funded by government and are not based on the ability to pay privately
instituted fees.
Secondary
education normally takes
place in secondary schools, taking place after primary education and may be
followed by higher education or vocational training, some countries, only
primary or basic education is compulsory, but secondary education is included
in compulsory education in most countries.
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