The decision of the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) to strategically involve educational institutions to combat HIV/AIDS and the formation of Red Ribbon Clubs in colleges as was deliberated upon during the one day workshop for Nagaland University officials and Principals is therefore a step in the right direction. As the NSACS Project Director has rightly pointed out, there are about 20,000 students studying in some 42 colleges of general education, polytechnics and different departments under Nagaland University and to directly involve this segment of both educators and students will do a world of good for creating awareness and in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
For one, the quality of communication between those who disseminate information and the targeted audience will improve to a great extent and because communication will be undeviating, it will cut down on the noise level or in other words, the distortion of message can be reduced. Second and more importantly, information that will be disseminated has better guarantee to reach the targeted group with greater impact.
Given the fact that almost 50 per cent of HIV positive cases are in the age group of 15-29 years and because HIV/AIDS affects the most productive age segment in the society, it makes good sense to take the awareness campaign directly to the colleges. The next stop for the NSACS should be schools (at least the Higher Secondary level) because that is where the numbers are more and to reach young people in schools will give a fillip to the awareness campaign in Nagaland. More than even colleges, the spread of both private and government run schools would run into every nook and corner of the State and to be able to get them into the band wagon should remain a priority issue for the government. Also given the nature of available statistics on HIV/AIDS in Nagaland and already knowing the grim situation in districts like Mon, Tuensang and those within the proximity of the Golden Triangle, whether targeting colleges alone (most probably already saturated with awareness level and urban centered) will be the most effective to generate awareness level among the younger age groups across districts.
We would have to ask ourselves as to why we need AIDS education in schools? Although the media has been generally looked upon to disseminate AIDS awareness campaigns, in a place like Nagaland, the print media alone will not suffice. While it is extremely powerful as a medium, going by the poor spread (circulation) of newspapers, only a minuscule fraction of the population can be targeted. Basic AIDS education in schools and through the platform of the Church therefore remains fundamental to the effort to prevent HIV transmission. Schools for instance can be an excellent platform– almost all young people attend school for some part of their childhood. Also, not all young people will have effective access to newspapers. The school, however, is a place where almost all young people can receive the same message. Parents on the other hand may not provide even the basic information because they are too embarrassed, or because their beliefs oppose it. Young people, too, may be embarrassed discussing sexual matters in a situation where their parents are present. AIDS education for young people is therefore a crucial weapon to prevent the spread of HIV. Young people are one of the main groups who must be targeted, and the school is the most important means of reaching them. School curriculum should therefore include AIDS education for starters. For this, schools and the Nagaland Board of School Education should be the next target for NSACS.
