Primary public school teachers in Papua New Guinea's capital of Port Moresby recently completed a two-week workshop aimed at providing them with the skills to teach young people about HIV/AIDS prevention, Papua New Guinea's Post-Courier reports. The program was run by the country's Education Department and UNAIDS and focused on a life-skills approach to HIV prevention. During the sessions, teachers were trained on providing students with the skills and behaviors that will enable them to avoid contracting HIV, Joe Anang of UNAIDS said. According to Anang, this approach is based on the fact that many young people find decisions about sexual relationships difficult to make despite having knowledge about how to live healthy lifestyles, the Post-Courier reports. This makes youth vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, Anang said.

Seventy-six teachers from three areas -- the Autonomous Region of Bouganville, Madang and Eastern Highlands -- attended the workshop and have returned to teach in these provinces. Teacher Emleen Sioni said that the training was valuable because many educators feel uncomfortable teaching about HIV/AIDS at the primary-school level. Participants of the program also were provided a newly published HIV/AIDS life skills resource book from UNAIDS (Post-Courier, 10/22).