Eldah Onsomu and her colleagues from the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) attended the SHN course where she met with the Partnership for Child Development (PCD) team and discussed how to address HIV/AIDS challenges such as HIV/AIDS related school absenteeism in Kenya. Below she describes how follow up training provided by PCD assisted in addressing these challenges.

The EdSida Model Training in Kenya

Following the SHN course training was provided to the KIPPRA team on an HIV-Education model called Ed-SIDA which provided flexibility in linking planning and budgeting forecasts while addressing emerging challenges on the impact of HIV/AIDS and related school absenteeism. In total 20 staff from Kenya’s Teacher Service Commission (TSC) were trained by KIPPRA and PCD in 2007 and 2008.

Specifically, the training enhanced an understanding on the basic software and reviewed data needed for the model and taught lessons on the effects of HIV and AIDS on teaching force; absenteeism; the cost of ARVs to sustain the positive teachers and understanding HIV prevalence.

The Ed-SIDA tool and report was used among other resources to inform TSC HIV policy and the 2008/9 Ministry of Education Ministerial Public Expenditure Review process. This policy has allowed for various effective interventions including provision of ARVs to HIV/AIDs positive teachers and the recruitment of contact teachers in 2010/11 to address teacher shortages.