AIDS information for students

I would like to make some comments on your article Activists welcome proposal to include AIDS in curriculum (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 28). I think it is a good idea for the government to introduce the subject of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in schools, but teachers should be careful in conveying the information. Students should also be taught moral values and ethics.

Former minister of health Adhyatma said it was not too early to introduce basic information on AIDS to elementary and junior high school students as an effort to prevent the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which causes the syndrome.

Since there is no effective treatment for AIDS as yet, the only realistic way to control the disease is by persuading people to change their behavior.

I hope people become more aware of the danger of AIDS because the number of victims is strongly on the increase. Finding a cure for AIDS remains a major challenge for scientists.

RAHMAWATY

Bandung, West Java