| Summary: | Student Number : 0513068K -
MA research report -
School of Graduate School -
Faculty of Humanities === The aim of this study it to evaluate the Gauteng Government’s attempt to implement a
life skills education programme in all primary and secondary schools. A chosen strategy
of the National HIV/AIDS/STD Strategic Plan for South Africa: 2000-2005, a universal
programme of life skills and HIV/AIDS education in primary and secondary schools was
identified as a vital means to contain South Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. Broadly, the
life skills and HIV/AIDS education programme is intended to “promote improved health
seeking behaviour and [the] adoption of safe sex practices” (DOH, 2000) amongst school
going youth. Responsibility for the implementation of this programme in all primary and
secondary schools is decentralised to the provincial level. Accordingly, this study seeks
to analyse and evaluate the Gauteng Provincial Government’s (GPG) progress in the
implementation of the life skills programme. A case study design centered upon
documentary analysis and key informant interviews was employed in order to capture the
necessary and predominantly qualitative data. These data are analyzed using the
conceptual framework developed through the work of Hildebrand and Grindle (1994 in
Brijal and Gilson, 1997), and Brijal and Gilson (1997). This study found that numerous
implementation deficits arising at the organisational, task network, public sector
institutional and external environmental levels combined to hamper implementation of
the life skills programme according to the time frames set out within the National
Integrated Plan for Children Infected and Affected by HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless, this
study also found that political stability in Gauten gprovince was a significant factor
promoting steady and progressive programme implementation and expansion. To
conclude, this study indicates that policy implementation requires numerous
complimentary factors (for instance, a strong level of local service delivery capacity) to
be in place in order for public HIV/AIDS policy implementation to be achieved in an
efficient and sustainable manner.
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