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Tatenda Charamba Features Writer
There have been indications that HIV prevalence is getting high in universities and colleges, going against the tide in the country where the rates are falling. These institutions seem to be reversing the progress made by various organisations and Government departments trying to reduce the HIV prevalence rate. Speaking at a function in Ngundu last month, Health and Child Care minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa said HIV prevalence in the country had decreased from 29 percent to 13 percent but was still high in colleges and universities.

“We discovered that there are four groups in this country where the HIV rate is still high,” Dr Parirenyatwa said.

“Those in the lead of the groups are young people, both girls and boys, especially those in colleges and universities

In light of these details, students are usually condemned for wayward behaviour without looking at the root of the problem. There are quite a number of factors that make fighting HIV in tertiary institutions a difficult task, despite the fact that they are touted as places where intellects are in abundance. Some young students who head to college straight after high school fail to handle their freedom with the level of responsibility it deserves.

In anticipation of the change in behaviour in some students, institutions try and minimise the level of risk they face from sexual engagement.

“Institutions offer students protection by providing them with free access to condoms,” Tatenda Majeza, a student from Midlands State University said.

However, this mitigation has not been too successful because of complaints on the brands provided.

“One good way to improve their protection strategies is by improving the quality of condoms that are provided because the ones available in institutions have been chided for being low quality,” she said.

With parents struggling to fully sponsor their children in some instances, some are being forced into questionable survival methods. Another student from Harare Polytechnic said some students find themselves in risky sexual webs because of the love of money and a lifestyle outside their means.

“The reason why students are vulnerable to HIV is because they act in a certain way to get money from sugar daddies,” she said.

She also emphasised on provision of quality condoms in institutions and embarking on more awareness campaigns.

“Let’s not forget that students may be adults but most of them are still dependent on a parent or guardian. There is still need to assist financially during the time they will be at school.”

Most if not all tertiary schools harbour adults who are liberated from high school and primary school lives where both teacher and parent still hold a central role.

An adult, in this case a student, is expected to forego most things and just adjust but that may be difficult at a campus where peers will be living seemingly perfect lives.

Cases of imbalanced romantic relationships also come into the fore as contributing factors. There have been complaints of relationship advances from lecturers and other well placed staffers.

It is from these arrangements that students become victim of sexual harassment and some of these cases are barely reported. A sexual harassment workshop held at the University of Zimbabwe recently by the Female Students Network (FSN) revealed that only four out of 54 tertiary institutions within the country have policies put in place that deal with sexual harassment. Addressing at the workshop, FSN executive director, Mrs Evernice Munando said, “Only four tertiary institutions have sexual policy put in place in Zimbabwe.”

“Students are suffering, especially female ones. Sexual harassment is not a criminal offence and the law of Zimbabwe should recognise sexual harassment as an issue,” she said.

Young adults are being harassed everywhere they go and it has become the norm of the day so they have learnt to just adapt.

This is hard on their part because they have to keep up with expectations that adulthood brings with it and yet satisfy their needs and wants at the same time.

They end up acting impulsively without really considering the implications so as to get their way. It takes someone who is principled and responsible to be able to do the right thing at the right time.

Therefore, the freedom that students in universities and colleges are exposed to brings with it its own entanglements.

Some colleges are already taking an active role in fighting the spread of HIV. A move believed to have a future bearing on the health and well being of college students. Great Zimbabwe University public relations manager, Mr Anderson Chipatiso said their institution has several programmes that help reduce the spread of HIV.

“We have a lot of programs at the university that help mitigate the spread of HIV,” he said.

“These programs include counselling, HIV and life skills, medical centres in all faculties and voluntary HIV testing and counselling that is very popular amongst our students.”

All these measures that institutions are taking to mitigate the spread of HIV in tertiary institutions may prove to be in vain if the society doesn’t change the way it treats young adults. With no parents who fuss about almost everything and no lecturer who comes knocking at one’s door so they can attend lectures, one’s schedule is entirely up to them. Poverty was noted to be the main reason behind people in colleges’ susceptibility to getting HIV.

Sex is being used in exchange of something else for example free accommodation, better grades, money among others.

Females almost always find themselves offering sex so that they get their needs and wants without necessarily putting someone under pressure.

This is because girls compete against themselves in terms of fashion, hairstyles, type of phone and type of people to be associated with so if one wants to stay on top of their game, they are ready to do whatever it takes.

This does not stop the girl in question from having a boyfriend on campus who she gets experimental with and engage in unprotected sex.

All this makes fighting HIV in colleges and universities a difficult task.