SHOULD HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS BE FORCED TO TEST FOR HIV/AIDS?

A Nurse taking HIV test.

In many background HIV/AIDS infections among adolescents has been increasing. However, adolescents may have difficulty obtaining education about HIV/AIDS, condoms and knowing how to use them and also knowing their status. If high schools would teach more about HIV/AIDS, how it affects a human body and how can one protect him/herself from being infected and offer condoms to their learners and to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and STDs, it would have many positive results as it will encourage them to get tested and know their status without being forced. A survey from 1986 showed that teenagers would be more influenced to know their status and use condoms if they were free, easy to get, and if they were guaranteed confidentiality. Also another survey in 1997 that compared students with access to education about this killer disease, the importance of knowing your status and the use of condoms to those without also showed that having such access to all this things didn’t increase the sex rate but reduce the rate of teenage infections and increased the use of condoms. With more teenagers using condoms every time they engage in sexual activity, teenagers STI/STD and HIV/AIDS rates will decrease as well as teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy will decrease high school drop-out rates and even increase the amount of students going to college. By Education and Making condoms easily accessible to high school students is an excellent investment.

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/SouthAfricanschoolchildrentobetestedforHIV999.html

Basically, it is the parents’ job to educate their teens about HIV/AIDS, Sex and its risks, and proper protection. If parents don’t take responsibility, who’s next? Well, that’s what health class in high school is for. Many parents and teachers who educate their students about HIV/AIDS and safer sex do not offer condoms. Year after year more teens become victims to HIV/AIDS, STIs and STDs due to lack of knowledge and necessary tools to protect themselves during intercourse.my question is where does that leaves us? What can be done to overcome this situation?