Analysis of Secondary School Christian Religious Education (CRE) Syllabus and Recommended Textbooks in Provision of HIV/AIDS Education to Learners in Secondary Schools in Kenya

Julia Situma
School of Education
Koitaleel Samoei University College, Kenya
Email: juliasituma3@gmail.com

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish the effectiveness of the CRE syllabus and recommended secondary school CRE textbooks in Provision of HIV/AIDS education to learners in secondary schools in Kenya. The study used the documentary analysis approach in achieving its objective. The research instrument for this study was document analysis guide. The documents analysed included the secondary school CRE syllabus and recommended text books in Kenya. Data from the documents were qualitatively analysed. The study found that there were challenges in the teaching and learning of CRE in secondary schools that affected its provision and integration of HIV/AIDS education in its curriculum. Some of the challenges were: inadequate content on HIV/AIDS in the secondary school CRE recommended textbooks and inadequate organization of HIV/AIDS topics within the secondary school CRE syllabus. The study recommended that Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) should review the secondary school syllabus and organize the topics in such a way that HIV/AIDS issues are taught at all levels (Form 1-4). This study also recommended that the authors and publishers of secondary school CRE recommended textbooks to review them so that what is lacking on HIV/AIDS issues can be included in the revised editions. The study further recommended that the Ministry of Education should organize for provision of learning resources in secondary schools in Kenya. The study is significant because the recommendations made can be used to improve on provision and integration of HIV/AIDS education in the CRE curriculum in secondary schools in Kenya.