The devastating impact of HIV-AIDS on the education sector is of grave concern, says Basic Education Minister John Mutorwa. Motivating the largest allocation in this year's national Budget - a whopping N$2,4 billion - in the National Assembly, Mutorwa said the pandemic had the "potential to nullify all the good work that is being planned and done within the sector". The allocation, which is almost seven per cent more than last year, will provide for the education of 566 740 school children and 27 000 distance education learners, adult literacy for 40 000 people and the services of 23 000 staff, of whom 18 000 are teachers.