An investigation of the use of life skills as an intervention strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS at Senakangwedi senior secondary school in Botshabelo

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate Life Skills as an intervention strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS among the teenagers at Senakangwedi Senior Secondary School in Botshabelo, Free State. Life Skills as an intervention strategy were implemented in one secondary school in Free State Province in Motheo District. A cohort of 30 learners and 10 educators from secondary schools in Botshabelo, Free State Province participated in the study. The respondents comprised of 10 learners from Grade 10, 10 from grade 11 and 10 learners from Grade 12 as well as ten educators. Learners were between the ages of 15 and 20 years. Between these ages their cognitive development allows them to be more aware of Life Skills as an intervention strategy to combat HIV/AIDS at school. Thus, it was easy for them to verbalise Life Skills as an intervention strategy to fight HIV/AIDS. Due to their ages, their operational thinking allowed them to develop hypotheses about the possible outcomes of problems and to evaluate these outcomes comparatively. Educators were controlled by the level of their education, being respondents with a diploma or university degree. Comparatively learners who are 18 years of age were themselves concerned as they were heads of households.

To arrive at the reported findings the study used the qualitative research approach methodology. This qualitative approach enabled the researcher to access information relating to the learners’ and educators' perceptions about HIV/AIDS. A life history approach was adopted in conducting the interviews to obtain a holistic understanding of participants’ life events in relation to their home environment. The interview guide covered such dimensions as family background and schooling. In the interviewing process, the researcher used the techniques of crystallisation and confrontation to enhance the clarity and trustworthiness of the narratives. In cases of ambiguity, the researcher asked the respondents for detailed and concrete examples and, in case of inconsistence, for further clarification and re-interpretation. The interview data were later transcribed for data analysis. The grounded theory approach was adopted to analyse the interview data, through which the categories of learner’s perceived motivations emerged naturally from their narratives. The evolving process comprised the following steps: (1) careful and repeated reading of transcriptions; (2) open content coding to signify any units of meaningful narratives in the passages. Ethical approval to conduct the study was sought and obtained from participating respondents and institutions.

The results showed that most learners in the sample are orphans as result of AIDS and that many households are now headed by teenagers who have had to take on parental responsibilities. The results showed that Life Skills reduce teenage pregnancy and absenteeism at school. According to the results, life skills changed the behaviour of the learners and their attitude towards HIV/AIDS and therefore, learners should be educated about HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and its prevention, as a strategy to reduce HIV/AIDS in schools. Life Skills is fundamental in empowering learners to live meaningful lives in a society that demands rapid transformation that enhances the community. The pandemic undermines the efforts of poverty reduction, part of the manifesto of the African National Congress (ANC) led Government; which aims at improving economic growth.

In addition, the study revealed that learners feel free to talk to one another and that coaching by a Life Skills educator, assists in ensuring that HIV/AIDS-related topics are discussed with ease. The results showed that most learners agree that Life skills empower them with a sound and helpful background to prevent HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, learners admitted that the Life Skills programme effectively empowered them with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions regarding sexuality. From the study a few valuable lessons were learned by the learners’ as an awareness of the pandemic and its consequences for their lives.