Education key to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS

Education Specialist of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the Caribbean, Michael Morrissey, revealed that approximately 500 teachers in the Jamaican educational system are infected with HIV/AIDS.

Adding that these persons would now become patients in the near future, Morrissey said this would impact on the planning and financial future of education in that country. Stating that there was a need to help these persons, Morrissey said education can play a part in helping to prevent the spread of the disease. Morrissey was speaking at the official launch of an Intensive Training Course on Educational Costs, Financing and Budgeting, at the  Hilton Trinidad when he made the disclosure.

The course is being hosted by UNESCO’s International Insti-tute for Educational Planning, the TT National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Education. Stating that he could not furnish statistics pertaining to TT, Morrissey again stressed that education can play an important role as it can facilitate the prevention and spread of the disease. Additionally, education will also help persons to cope with the reality of the disease, and the workshop will develop and strengthen the educational sectors of the region, Morrissey concluded.

Delivering remarks on behalf of Education Minister Hazel Manning was Permanent Sec-retary, Angella Jack. Jack reiterated Government’s commitment to ensuring that every child receive an education, and revealed that they were spending close to US$150 million to improve the education system in TT. Adding that they had recently launched a major construction programme at a cost of $2 billion, Jack stated that a number of initiatives were being implemented in the educational system to help persons better deal with reform processes.