EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHERS SERVICE COMMISSION HIV AND AIDS SUB–SECTOR POLICY FOR TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) sub–sector workplace policy on HIV and AIDS has been effectively implemented in public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study sought to find out the level of awareness of the TSC sub–sector policy among educators and, the extent to which the policy implementation has influenced teachers‟ HIV and AIDS information, HIV–related stigma and discrimination, uptake of voluntary HIV testing and counselling, provision of treatment, care and support to infected teachers and HIV infected teacher productivity. Convergent parallel approach was adopted. The specific research designs used were cross–sectional survey and phenomenology. Instruments‟ validity was ensured by subjecting them to quantifiable measure of content validity ratio. Prolonged engagement of the respondents and narrative accounts ensured trustworthiness of qualitative data. Reliability of instruments was tested after pilot study using Cronbach‟s Alpha. Data were collected from 14 secondary school principals, 183 teachers, 2 TSC‟s Wellness staff and 3 Kenya Network for Positive Teachers (KENEPOTE) officials who were selected using probability and non–probability sampling techniques. The instruments of data collection were structured questionnaire and semi–structured interview guide. Data from the interviews were coded and categories generated whereas those from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies, percentages, Pearson‟s Product Moment correlation and chi square. Findings indicated that TSC HIV and AIDS sub–sector policy implementation has been minimal and fundamentally did not impact on essential problems like stigma and discrimination which contribute considerably to the reduction of HIV transmission amongst teachers. No Significant relationship was found between policy implementation and HIV positive teacher productivity. It is recommended that the policy implementation ought to be hastened by provision of adequate funds by the government, scaling up policy awareness campaigns and capacity building by TSC, and institutionalizing HIV programs in schools by principals to boost interventions and end the spread of the disease teachers.