Education International would like to welcome two new unions to the EFAIDS Programme. As of this month, the NNTA (Nepal National Teachers’ Association) and NTA (Nepal Teachers’ Association) will be joining forces to work on EFAIDS. Both unions take the view that this cooperation will serve to greatly further their aims with regards to the prevention of the spread of HIV and the attainment of Education for All in Nepal.
In 2007, a study carried out by EI in Nepal concluded that the spread of HIV/AIDS and the lack of access to quality, free, public education for all were serious issues that needed to be urgently addressed. It said that:
‘HIV/AIDS is still a taboo amongst families, children and teachers. There is general weakness in the area of project management, monitoring and evaluation capabilities. HIV AIDS has relevance to EFA and there is a need to link the two. There are educational disparities on the basis of gender, caste, ethnicity, religion and disabilities. There is a teacher shortage of about 60,000. No one is responsible for children out of school. Funding for EFA is insufficient. All efforts seem to be in increasing access and retention, the quality part is still lacking in programmes’.
In recognition of these challenges, two EI affiliates, the NNTA and NTA decided to join the EFAIDS Programme in 2007. In the coming year, the main activities which the unions will focus on include making temporary teachers permanent; improving the working conditions and job security of non-teaching personnel; tackling violence in schools and training teachers on HIV and AIDS education. For more information, please contact us at efaids@ei-ie.org.