the impact of hiv/aids on the education sector in tanzania

The lack <strong>of</strong> attention given to <strong>the</strong> vulnerability <strong>of</strong> teachers to HIV/AIDS and <strong>the</strong>
inability <strong>of</strong> most to access ARV treatment, mean that many die every year. According to
Galabawa and Mbelle (2002), <strong>the</strong> teaching force is disappearing at a rate <strong>of</strong> 0.8 per cent. Data
from <strong>the</strong> TSC reveals that most teacher attrition caused by death is due to HIV/AIDS and its
related diseases (e.g. TB, typhoid, diarrhoea and long-term fevers). The cumulative number <strong>of</strong>
deaths <strong>of</strong> teachers between January 1999 and December 2002 was 2,873. Of <strong>the</strong>se,
49 (17.3 per cent) occurred in 1999, 708 (24.6 per cent) occurred in 2000, 730 (25.4 per cent)
occurred in 2001 and 938 (32.6 per cent) occurred in 2002, indicating an upward trend.
During <strong>the</strong> financial year 2001/2002, 1,046 deaths <strong>of</strong> teachers were recorded, as Table 2.4
shows.
Table 2.4 Percentage distribution <strong>of</strong> deaths <strong>of</strong> teachers by age group,
financial year 2001/2002
20
Age Category Number Percentage
Under 30 years 71 6.8
31-40 years 219 21.0
41-50 years 603 57.6
Over 50 years 153 14.6
Total 1,046 100.0
Source: Tanzania TSC, 2003.
Taking into account <strong>the</strong> causes <strong>of</strong> death recorded and <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>iles <strong>of</strong> terminal diseases,
it is probable that some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> deaths among teachers aged 30-40 were HIV related. The
majority <strong>of</strong> deaths however, occurred in <strong>the</strong> 41-50 age group. This has two major
implications:
� It is likely that many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se older teachers had a high degree <strong>of</strong> experience in <strong>the</strong>
classroom, so <strong>the</strong>ir deaths represent a high level <strong>of</strong> wastage in terms <strong>of</strong> human resources.
� It is likely that by that stage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives, many would have established families <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir
own, thus adding to <strong>the</strong> burden <strong>of</strong> AIDS orphans.
Therefore, in Tanzania, just as in many o<strong>the</strong>r countries, AIDS has already had an
unprecedented institutional and sectoral <strong>impact</strong>. Moreover, <strong>the</strong> organizations and individuals
that it affects are not only those that are most needed for development; <strong>the</strong>y are also vital for
<strong>the</strong> prevention <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spread <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> epidemic itself. Education has <strong>the</strong> potential to be <strong>the</strong> single
most powerful weapon at <strong>the</strong> disposal <strong>of</strong> those fighting HIV/AIDS (Kelly, 2000).