Influence Of Guidance On Hiv/ Aids Awareness Among Secondary School Learners In Kenya: A Case Of Kabete Sub- County, Kiambu County

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of guidance on HIV/AIDS awareness among secondary school learners’ in Kenya. The study specifically looked at determining whether guidance from peers, parents, school and media promotes HIV/AIDS awareness among the learners. Learners were asked questions on the causes of HIV/AIDS, preventive and control measures of HIV/AIDS and stigma and discrimination encountered by PLWHA ; this will provided information on the HIV/AIDS awareness among the learners. The study adapted a descriptive survey research design. It has targeted secondary schools’ students in Kabete sub-county. Kiambu county. Simple random sampling was used to select 281students as respondents. Questionnaires was the tool to be used to collect data and qualitative data was obtained and analyzed using descriptive statistics which was presented via histogram, percentages and pie charts. The results obtained indicated that the learners had awareness in the causes, stigmatization and discrimination of PLWHA and control measures of HIV/AIDS. Peer guidance created a lot of awareness on sex education matters but learners rarely talked about the virus hence under-utilized in creating HIV/AIDS awareness. Parental guidance has not been effective since most learner admitted that they have never talked to their parents on matters concerning HIV/AIDS. Fathers were also noted as the least available parent to talk to about sex education. Media guidance is the mode of guidance where learners acquired sex education information mainly from social media and the internet but they noted it was rare to find HIV/AIDS awareness adverts on social media hence also under-utilized. School guidance through the guidance and counselling department have been able to create HIV/AIDS awareness among the learner. It can be concluded the guidance has a lot of influence on HIV/AIDS awareness among secondary school learners in Kenya. In particular, school guidance is more effective in creating HIV/AIDS awareness than any other form of guidance. It can be recommended that guidance and counseling departments in school should be given enough funds for them to function effectively