Public Schools In South Africa Research Articles

Empowering through feedback: Economics teachers' motivations for assessment practices in public schools

Research on assessment feedback practices in economics education within South African public schools has been limited, particularly in terms of teachers' motivations and approaches. This study addresses this gap by exploring the reasons and motivations behind Grade 10-12 Economics teachers' use of assessment feedback in three public schools in South Africa. A qualitative case study design was employed, involving three teachers at different career stages. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews and document analysis of feedback samples. Thematic analysis, informed by the concept of feedback literacy, was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed two primary motivations: using assessment feedback for academic growth and providing feedback for real-world application. Teachers viewed feedback as a crucial tool for enhancing students' understanding of economic concepts and preparing them for future academic and professional challenges. The study concludes that teachers' feedback practices align with contemporary educational theories and demonstrate a commitment to contextualising economics education within the South African environment. Recommendations include implementing targeted professional development programs to enhance feedback literacy, revising curricula to incorporate opportunities for meaningful feedback, and conducting further research across diverse educational contexts. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of assessment practices in Economics education and has implications for teacher professional development and curriculum design in South African public schools, ultimately aiming to develop economically literate and critically engaged citizens.

Evaluating financial reporting guidelines in South African public schools

This paper aims to evaluate the different financial reporting guidelines used by governing bodies in public schools across 9 provinces. Therefore, developing an integrated financial reporting framework to improve accountability by SGBs that can be used by public schools in South Africa. This situation motivates the researcher to explore the lack financial reporting by SGBs in section 21 schools. The study also aimed to make recommendations to all stakeholders on how integrated financial reporting can promote accountability and transparency. The target population consisted of 56 section 21 schools in KwaZulu Natal province. A mixed methods approach was employed, and a questionnaire was developed and sent to participants using monkey survey. In addition, principals were interviewed one on one online using Microsoft Teams. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the data, generating table and bar graphs. The findings revealed that the department of basic education should formulate the audit committee to monitor and evaluate financial statements of section 21 schools. The independent auditors should report back to the department of basic education not to the SGB to promote transparency and accountability. The study recommends that the current financial reporting structure can be improve by adopting integrated financial reporting framework where all stakeholders are actively involved. The Auditor General should audit the independent audit that are auditing section 21 schools and give an annual report on their performance.

INTERROGATING THE RIGHT TO BASIC EDUCATION OF UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CALL FOR THEIR EXCLUSION FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The right to basic education is recognised as a fundamental human right that is guaranteed to everyone, including undocumented children under international and domestic law. However, the question needs to be asked whether this right extends to undocumented children living in South Africa when, at the start of every academic calendar, tales of children being denied enrolment in public schools owing to a lack of required identification or birth certificates dominate the media space. Apparent legal contradictions, a lack of proper understanding of extant laws protecting the right to basic education, and a lack of effective cooperation among stakeholders in the education section have continued to affect access to basic education for undocumented children in South Africa. This article reflects on the right to basic education of undocumented children in the context of the legality of the lingering call for the exclusion of undocumented children from public schools in South Africa.

Financial management in fee-paying public schools in South Africa: How responsible is the school governing body?

The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996, stipulates how schools should manage and involve stakeholders in financial management. The literature suggests that stakeholders at non-fee-paying schools in the township and rural areas do not play a dominant role in their schools’ financial management decision-making processes, which is contrary to the dictates of the South African Schools Act. However, in the study on which this article is based, we focused on the financial management decision-making processes in fee-paying public schools. We followed a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis, and were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that members of school governing bodies in Quintile 5 fee-paying public primary schools were educated professionals who, as required by the South African Schools Act, exerted a strong influence on the financial management responsibilities in their schools.

Investigating the Barriers of ICT use in Teaching and Learning at Public Schools in South Africa

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has reshaped the field of pedagogy in many different ways. The increasing use of ICT tools in teaching and learning cannot be overlooked. Learners who are abreast with technology are independent and relieve overreliance on educators regardless of the geographical distance. ICT is important within the education sector as a means of enhancing the process of teaching and learning in a classroom. Despite the value of effective use of ICT tools, the South African government, having designed the curriculum to support effective ICT use in teaching and learning, and to some extent having provided ICT tools in public schools, there are still challenges in the effective adoption of ICT tools in teaching and learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate the barriers of ICT tools use in teaching and learning and propose guidelines in teaching and learning at public schools. The study used a mixed-method and data was collected from public school teachers through a questionnaire composed of both qualitative and quantitative variables. To gain further insight, educationalists were also interviewed. It was discovered that there are multiple challenges that hinder the adoption of ICT in public schools. Key challenges identified in the study include a lack of ICT relevant skills, lack of ICT infrastructure, poor IT support, lack of efficacy from the level of teachers, and attitude were amongst many other influencers to non compliance. The study recommends that the government adopt an ICT framework that will advocate for unison in ICT policy from all walks of government (district, provincial, and national) and also mandate and incentivize use of ICT by teachers in teaching and learning.

Records and information management in evidence-based decision-making public schools in South Africa

Records are important assets in the decision-making process and promote transparency and accountability. The successful provision of educational and training services in public schools relies on reliable and authentic records. Thus, evidence-based decision-making can help address the challenges in the basic education sector in public schools. The challenges manifest as weaknesses between the different sectors and departments responsible for early childhood development services and poor quality of school education outcomes in public schools. The said challenges were identified in the National Development Plan 2030 and their resolution can contribute to the achievement of education and training goals. The main purpose of this study was to outline the role played by records and information management in supporting evidence-based decision-making in public schools in South Africa. This study adopted the qualitative research approach and used content analysis to identify challenges hindering national development plan goal achievement in the basic education sector. A content analysis of available literature consisting of policy documents, internet sources, books and journal papers was used to identify and describe the challenges and propose solutions. It is guided by the Association of Records Managers and Administrators’ Generally Accepted Record Keeping Principles as a framework. The study found that poor educational outcomes could be improved through proper records management practices enabling evidence-based decision-making to thrive. The study recommends that governmental bodies in South Africa utilise the power of records and information management to enable goal achievement, with the professional assistance rendered by the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) and provincial archives.

Vaccine Hesitancy Drives Low Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage in Girls Attending Public Schools in South Africa.

Girls aged ≥9 years attending South African public sector schools are provided with free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, through a schools-based programme. HPV vaccine misinformation spread via social media in 2014, was identified as a barrier to obtaining parental informed consent in some districts, including Sedibeng District, which subsequently had the lowest HPV vaccination coverage in Gauteng Province in 2018. This study investigated vaccine hesitancy in caregivers of girls in Grade 4 to 7 aged ≥9 years attending public schools in Sedibeng District. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among caregivers of age-eligible girls attending all public schools in Sedibeng District with first dose HPV vaccination coverage of <70%. The questionnaire included demographics; HPV vaccination status of girls; reasons for not being vaccinated; and a 5-item tool measuring the determinants of vaccine hesitancy (5C scale), using a 7-point Likert scale. Data were coded and captured on Microsoft Excel®. Except for collective responsibility which was reverse scored, the other 5C items (confidence, complacency, constraints, and calculation) were captured as follows: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = moderately disagree, 3 = slightly disagree, 4 = neutral, 5 = slightly agree, 6 = moderately agree and 7 = strongly agree. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using Epi InfoTM. Of the principals of all schools with <70% HPV vaccination coverage, 69.6% (32/46) gave permission. The response rate from caregivers of girls present on the day of data collection was 36.8% (1,782/4,838), with 67.1% (1,196/1,782) of respondents reporting that their daughters had received ≥1 dose of HPV vaccine. Only 63.1% (370/586) of respondents with unvaccinated daughters answered the question on reasons, with 49.2% (182/370) reporting reasons related to vaccine hesitancy. Statistically significant differences between caregivers of vaccinated and unvaccinated daughters were identified for four of the five determinants of vaccine hesitancy: confidence (vaccinated group higher), complacency (unvaccinated group higher), constraints (unvaccinated group higher) and collective responsibility (vaccinated group higher). This is the first South African study to (a) report results of the 5C scale, which was found to be very useful for predicting vaccination uptake; and (b) confirm that the relatively low HPV vaccination coverage in Sedibeng District is largely driven by reasons related to vaccine hesitancy.

Unplugged Teaching: Deepening Information Technology Learning

There has been a decline in the number of public schools in South Africa offering information technology as a subject, yet it holds a special significance in higher level computational courses especially at tertiary level. Learners doing programming in information technology (IT) have difficulties during the initial stages of learning how to design and develop programs due to the abstract nature of the subject and the demands on the use of data structures to establish needed heuristics to solve problems or design solutions. Through the Semantic wave code of Legitimation Code Theory lens, this research aims to address the cognitive aspects of deeper information technology learning especially acquiring the appropriate knowledge structures for program design and problem-solving. The abstract semantics are the cornerstone of information technology as a school subject and their difficulty may cause memory overload, hence the importance of mental structures on how computers work. Through the semantic wave construct of the Legitimation Code Theory, we unpacked unfamiliar settings and repacked the different settings by moving from simpler meanings [concrete] to complex meanings [abstract]. In this work, we discuss issues that make programming more accessible by navigating the abstract semantics using contextualised exploration giving learners’ concretized understanding while placing them in unfamiliar settings requiring creativity. Importantly, this work builds on researched literature and experience as information technology subject specialists explaining how we subject learners through various context and semantic profiles due to the multi-level nature of abstraction in programming.

‘Mutual Accommodation’: Clientelist Politics in South African School Education

ABSTRACT: Whilst most post-apartheid public schools in South Africa remain significantly underfunded, the education budget nevertheless provides a significant injection of jobs and public spending into the provinces–into rural provinces with small economies especially. Based on research in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces, I show how a particular form of clientelist politics has taken root in the post-apartheid school education system–one locally organised around ‘promotional’ posts in schools, and disconnected from a clear state, party, or other organisational ‘centre’. Groups of locally organised unionists operate to secure preferential access to these posts, sometimes through the use or threat of violence, sometimes through collusion with district education officials, or with community members who might benefit from access to meagre school budgets. Attempts by residents to secure livelihood strategies in the context of poverty intersect with local strategies of upward mobility on the part of ordinary teachers, and in turn connect loosely, via patterns of ‘mutual accommodation’ with strategies of elite accumulation amongst senior politicians, administrators, and union leaders. In the case of the education sectors in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces at least, on which this article focuses, this constitutes a fragmented yet interlocking system of unstable governance. In this sense, I suggest that there is much in the dynamics of education governance that offers insight into wider patterns of state-society relations around the local state in South Africa.

‘Mutual Accommodation’: Clientelist Politics in South African School Education

ABSTRACT: Whilst most post-apartheid public schools in South Africa remain significantly underfunded, the education budget nevertheless provides a significant injection of jobs and public spending into the provinces–into rural provinces with small economies especially. Based on research in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces, I show how a particular form of clientelist politics has taken root in the post-apartheid school education system–one locally organised around ‘promotional’ posts in schools, and disconnected from a clear state, party, or other organisational ‘centre’. Groups of locally organised unionists operate to secure preferential access to these posts, sometimes through the use or threat of violence, sometimes through collusion with district education officials, or with community members who might benefit from access to meagre school budgets. Attempts by residents to secure livelihood strategies in the context of poverty intersect with local strategies of upward mobility on the part of ordinary teachers, and in turn connect loosely, via patterns of ‘mutual accommodation’ with strategies of elite accumulation amongst senior politicians, administrators, and union leaders. In the case of the education sectors in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces at least, on which this article focuses, this constitutes a fragmented yet interlocking system of unstable governance. In this sense, I suggest that there is much in the dynamics of education governance that offers insight into wider patterns of state-society relations around the local state in South Africa.

Exploring the School-Based Support for Youths Who Head Households in Limpopo Province, South Africa

The article focuses on the school-based support that youths who are heading households get from public schools in South Africa. It is based on the study that was conducted focusing on the extent to which schools support youths who head households. The study adopted the qualitative research methodological approach where three methods were used to construct data. The three methods used are observation, semi structured interviews and documents. Eight children from four public schools were selected as participants in the study. Data constructed was analyzed by using the Thematic Content Analysis approach. The findings reveal that youths who head households are faced with challenges that include among others, economic constraints, lack of resources, and humiliation. Furthermore, they do not get the necessary support from schools. The article argues that lack of support by schools adds to the challenges that children are confronted with in their daily struggle for survival.

Pandemic and bills: The impact of COVID-19 on energy usage of schools in South Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on global operations and economies. Inadvertently, lock-downs and working from home have reduced the daily carbon footprints of inter alia transport and office buildings. A beneficial consequence of carbon footprint reductions is the ability to measure the differential demand of occupants, to benchmark the base load of buildings, and identify opportunities for efficiency improvements. In this paper we evaluate the change in energy demand in five public schools in South Africa with changes in occupancy due to the COVID-19-imposed lockdowns. We make recommendations to carry these savings into the everyday operation of the schools, and estimate the savings for forthcoming closures.

Prevalence and factors associated with experience of corporal punishment in public schools in South Africa.

Corporal punishment (CP) is still a common practice in schools globally. Although illegal, studies in South Africa report its continued use, but only a few have explored factors associated with school CP. Moreover, extant studies have not shown the interrelationships between explanatory factors. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with learners' experiences, and to examine pathways to the learners' experiences of CP at school. 3743 grade 8 learners (2118 girls and 1625 boys) from 24 selected public schools in Tshwane, South Africa, enrolled in a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a multi-component school-based intervention to prevent intimate partner violence, and completed self-administered questionnaires. We carried out descriptive analysis, simple linear and structural equation modelling to examine factors and pathways to the learners' experience of CP at school. About 52% of learners had experienced CP at school in the last 6 months. It was higher among boys compared to girls. Experience of CP at school amongst learners was associated with learner behavior, home environment, and school environment. Learners from households with low-socio economic status (SES) had an increased risk of CP experience at school. Amongst boys, low family SES status was associated with a negative home environment and had a direct negative impact on a learner's mental health, directly associated with misbehavior. CP in public schools in South Africa continues despite legislation prohibiting its use. While addressing learner behaviour is critical, evidence-based interventions addressing home and school environment are needed to change the culture among teachers of using corporal punishment to discipline adolescents and inculcate one that promotes positive discipline.

The Effectiveness of Financial Management Strategies in Public Primary Schools in the South Africa

This paper reports a sequential mixed methods study on the effectiveness of financial management strategies in achieving organisational success and stability in public primary schools in Dwarsloop Circuit, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The study involved six schools and a sample of 78 participants, comprising 72 School Governing Body (SGB) members and six primary school managers. The study shows that the South African Schools Act, 1996 and the Public Finance Management Act, 1999, are key legislation used to govern and administer the finances of public schools in South Africa. It was ascertained that SGB members with a background in teaching, had a better understanding of the South African Schools Act, compared to SGB members who were parents without teaching experience. The research further shows that most schools in the Dwarsloop Circuit do not use strict internal controls nor is there clear and consistent segregation of duties as key aspects of financial management. It is recommended that all SGB members undergo mandatory training required to execute their duties effectively. The Department of Education in conjunction with the relevant agencies, should ensure an annual financial audit is conducted of all schools in the Dwarsloop Circuit of Mpumalanga Province.&#x0D;

STUDENT EXPERIENCES OF IMMIGRANT TEACHERS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS

1. Introduction Educational reforms in South Africa have been framed by legislative policies that promote democracy and human rights. The South African Schools Act (Act No 37 of 1997) catalysed by the Bill of Rights and the South African Constitution formalised the process of desegregation of schools in South Africa. As a result of these constitutional measures, the public schooling system in South Africa has undergone radical changes. It created the opportunity for students from diverse cultural backgrounds to attend public schools of their choice; as much as this choice was determined by extraneous factors such as high school fees, travelling distances, language of instruction, amongst others. It also created the opportunity for teachers of any race group to teach at public schools. Furthermore, it created the opportunity for black (Indian/ African) immigrant teachers to be employed at public schools in South Africa. A vast number of black (Africa/Indian) immigrant teachers who are employed at South African schools come from the African continent, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Consequently, many South African learners have for the first time been exposed to these immigrant teachers. What is the ethos of reception that South African learners provide to immigrant teachers? What are the reactions of South African learners towards immigrant teachers? What are some of the challenges that South African learners encounter? What are some of the opportunities? What lessons can be learnt from these experiences? Accordingly, this study asks, what are students' experiences of immigrant teachers in South African schools? Against this context we developed a project to look at experiences of immigrant teachers in general and more specifically how they reconstruct and renegotiate their professional identities in this new context. The findings are discussed in some publications (Vandeyar, Vandeyar & Elufisan 2013). In focusing on students that were taught by these immigrant teachers, as a means of triangulating the data, it became evident that talking about their experiences of immigrant teachers meant also that they expressed views and opinions about South African teachers. The portrait that unfolded was one of immigrant teachers juxtaposed against South African teachers. The picture they created about South African teachers is troublesome in its negativity. The purpose of this paper is twofold; to explore South African learners' experiences of immigrant teachers and to establish in detail what the negative picture of South African teachers is about and what implications it holds for South African society. The findings are presented and subsequently analysed and discussed in an attempt to unpack learners' experiences of immigrant teachers in South African schools? 2. Background context The advent of democracy in South Africa witnessed the reincorporation of South Africa into the international arena and also the dissolution of South Africa's fortified borders which allowed more people and goods to enter the country effortlessly (Klotz 2000). Before 1994 only white Europeans were allowed to enter South Africa as professionals while black Africans were restricted to the supply of unskilled labour such as farm labourers and mine workers (Adepoju 2003). During the apartheid era it was government policy to relentlessly limit black immigration and actively encourage white immigration (Morris 1998: 1118). The relaxation of fortified borders particularly afforded immigrants from other African countries that were previously denied access, to now freely enter South Africa. This easier access brought about challenges and opportunities for black immigrants. First, it exposed many black immigrants, especially those from African countries, to xenophobic violence (Sharp 2008; Steinberg 2008). One of the reasons for these attacks is that some South Africans, especially black African South Africans (1) perceive immigrants from African countries as competitors for available jobs and resources (Stemmett 2008; Hassim, Kupe & Worby 2008). …

Improved attitudes towards littering through progressive action research activities in an environmental education context

ABSTRACT Smooth implementation of environmental education at public schools in South Africa is hindered by various factors. Consequently, teachers have been unsuccessful or have had only partial success in implementing environmental education in their classrooms to conscientise learners about the environment and the harmful impact of littering. The purpose of this research was to indicate how teachers could mitigate the hindrances to effective environmental education teaching and learning in their respective schools. By employing progressive environmental action research activities through participatory spirals of action research cycles, learners could be conscientised to littering. This research is underpinned by critical theory and an applied cooperative paradigm. Fourteen learners referred to as co-researchers or participants in this research were randomly selected from seven classes. Participants’ observations were used as a research instrument to collect data. Thereafter, a coding process and analysis were conducted. The results of the study show that progressive environmental action research activities were successfully implemented in the conscientisation of learners to littering and that these interventions mitigated some of the environmental education barriers experienced by teachers at schools. This led the authors to conclude that if progressive environmental action research activities are conducted through the participatory action research approach, this can empower teachers to mitigate factors hindering environmental education implementation and subsequently raise learners’ awareness of littering.

Turnaround Learner Discipline Practices through Epistemic Social Justice in Schools

Researchers claim that learner discipline has continued to be a problem in schools since corporal punishment was outlawed in public schools in South Africa. It is evident that teachers have a vital role to play in the improvement of learner discipline in schools. An interpretivist qualitative approach was adopted to investigate learner discipline practices as perceived by teachers in South African public schools. A sample of 10 (3 principals, 3 teachers, 3 parents and 1 learner) participants was used for the study. Social justice theory was used as a lens to consider the process of humanising learner discipline practices in terms of human rights. The article investigates how learner discipline practices can be turned around through epistemic social justice to influence the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The findings revealed that in South Africa there are no effective learner discipline practices. There is a need for education authorities to introduce compulsory training and development programmes for aspiring teachers to be equipped with new strategies to deal with learner discipline through a social justice approach. Social justice theory was used as a tool to address learner discipline practices in selected schools. It was recommended that there be more parent involvement in decision-making to consider a policy of transforming learner discipline practices to deal with the inequality and injustice in schools.

Psychosocial Support Provision for Learners from Child-Headed Households in Five Public Schools in South Africa

In South African schools, the umbrella term orphans and vulnerable children includes child-headed households (CHHs). In the light of trauma exposure of learners from CHHs due to their plight, there is a need to investigate how they are supported. This research investigated the psychosocial-support provision for learners from CHHs in five public high schools in South Africa. This was a qualitative study using a phenomenological design. A stratified sampling method was used to gather data from principals, co-ordinators of health programmes and teachers with the highest number of learners from CHHs in their classes in 2014 or 2015. Findings are reported from the analysis of data gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and document analysis through the lens of trauma-informed approach. The highest number of learners from CHHs in the participating schools were in Grades 10 to 12 and the percentage ranged between 0.6 to 2.5 in 2014 and 2015. The programme of informal adoption of learners by teachers seemed to be working well, better than other programmes that were implemented by government departments. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing trauma-informed approach in supporting learners from CHHs.

Prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated factors among HIV positive educators: Findings from the 2015/6 survey of Health of Educators in Public Schools in South Africa.

IntroductionIn many sub-Saharan African countries, confronting the dual epidemic of HIV and NCDs is a public health priority especially in high HIV burden countries such as South Africa. Evidence shows that poor health as a consequence of NCDs and HIV among the workforce increases absenteeism and leads to decrease in productivity. However, the prevalence of these co-occurring chronic conditions and associated factors is unknown in the educator workforce. Improved understanding has implications for their management and wellbeing of educators. This paper reports the prevalence of selected NCDs and associated factors among HIV positive educators in South Africa using the 2015/6 survey of Educators in Public Schools in South Africa.MethodsThis was a second-generation surveillance undertaken among educators in selected public schools in all nine provinces in South Africa. A multi-stage stratified cluster design with probability proportional to size sampling was used to draw a random sample of schools. Factors associated with presence of NCDs were determined using a multivariate backward stepwise logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 1 365 schools were sampled within which 21 495 (85.5%) educators were interviewed. Out of 2691, HIV Positive educators that responded to the questions on NCDs, 36.9% reported having NCDs. The most commonly reported NCDs were high blood pressure (17.4%), and stomach ulcers (13.5%). The increased odds of reporting the presence of NCDs was significantly associated with being female than male [aOR = 1.5: 95% CI (1.1–1.9), p<0.002], age 45 to 54 years [aOR = 1.8: 95% CI (1.4–2.2), p = p<0.001], and age 55 years and older than those 18 to 24 years [aOR = 2.7: 95% CI (1.8–3.9), p<0.001). The decreased odds of reporting the presence of NCDs was significantly associated with not being absent from school for health reasons [aOR = 0.7: 95% CI (0.6–0.9), p = 0.003].ConclusionNCDs care and active screening should be an integral part of HIV programmes including interventions such as prevention, treatment, care and support amongst public school educators in SA. The education department will need to invest in health promotion intervention programmes to prevent and mitigate the negative impact of NCDs and HIV on the sector.

Effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility: historical evidence from South Africa’s women educators

Context/Background : The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a public health challenge. Globally, South Africa ranks second in HIV prevalence and has the second lowest fertility rate in sub-Saharan Africa. The effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility is contentious, although it is often assumed in population projections that HIV/AIDS reduces fertility. This study examines the effect of HIV/AIDS on the probability of getting pregnant among South Africa’s educators controlling for confounders. Data Source and Methods : The data consisted of a representative sample of educators in public schools in South Africa in 2004. Statistical analysis utilized multivariate logistic regression. Results: Controlling for confounders, HIV positive women educators aged 18-34 had higher odds of being pregnant in the preceding 12 months compared with HIV negative women educators in the same age group. Conclusion: There was no evidence from this study that HIV positive women were less likely to be pregnant than HIV negative women.