Sokoto Religion, culture hampering HIV education in Sokoto schools

Many secondary school students in Sokoto State do not know much about HIV and AIDS due to cultural and religious restrictions on sex education in schools in the state. Some of the students, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Sokoto on Sunday, expressed little knowledge about the virus, […]

Many secondary school students in Sokoto State do not know much about HIV and AIDS due to cultural and religious restrictions on sex education in schools in the state.

Some of the students, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Sokoto on Sunday, expressed little knowledge about the virus, mode of transmission, prevention and care.

One of them, Abdulrasheed Umar, a Senior Secondary I (SS1) student at Sultan Bello Secondary School, Sokoto, said: “I have heard of HIV, but I have no idea what it is.

“All I know is that it is a terrible disease and nothing more.”

When asked if there is HIV club or any form of sex education in his school, he said no.