This paper aims to assess whether the goals of the in-school programmes on prevention of HIV and AIDS that are taught in primary schools of 15 national ministries of education in Southern and Eastern Africa have been reached equitably between boys and girls by the end of primary education. One feature of most of these ministries is that they are in countries that are the hardest hit by a general HIV epidemic. More specifically, the paper aims to analyse schoolboys’ and schoolgirls’ general knowledge about HIV and AIDS. Through five sub-domains of knowledge covered in school programmes, it also seeks to ascertain their attitudes to people living with HIV and AIDS, their perceptions of courses on HIV and AIDS, and their preferred source of information on the infection and the syndrome. Furthermore, the study is completed by an analysis of the levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS; attitudes towards people living with HIV; and lastly, the levels of teacher training on HIV and AIDS, which are key for any effective education for prevention strategies .