Exploring the Role and Capacity of School Teachers in Zambia to Support Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Considerations for Educational Resource Allocation in Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of their role as HIV/AIDS educators and also their role in providing care for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) across the different school systems in Lusaka, Zambia. Researchers used a combined quantitative and qualitative narrative approach. Original cross-sectional data were collected through face-to-face survey and in-depth interviews with school teachers in the Lusaka. A sample of 720 teachers from 123 schools completed surveys in 2008, with a 91% response rate for teachers, and 100% for schools sampled. Teachers for all school types reported that schools and teachers are the appropriate community resource for HIV-prevention education for youth and support for OVC. This study suggests that schools could serve as a source and alternative mechanism of support for vulnerable children.