HIV/AIDS is a significant public health crisis in South Africa, particularly impacting adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24. This group experiences disproportionately high HIV infection rates due to various factors, including physiological vulnerability, gender inequality, harmful gender norms, and gender-based violence. Despite existing school-based HIV/AIDS interventions, infection rates continue to rise, suggesting a need for improved program implementation. This research focuses on the role of school principals as key figures in HIV prevention, investigating their management strategies for enhancing school-centered HIV/AIDS intervention programs for adolescent girls. The study aims to understand how principals manage these programs and to identify strategies for improvement, acknowledging the complex challenges faced by school leaders in navigating the educational environment while addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The high rate of new infections among adolescent girls necessitates a concentrated focus on effective intervention strategies and strong leadership to address this critical issue.

Existing literature highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of adolescent girls to HIV infection due to biological factors and socio-cultural contexts. Studies show that despite numerous school-based interventions, infection rates remain high, indicating a gap in effective program delivery. Research emphasizes the need for empowering women and providing comprehensive health education, including addressing sexual harassment and gender-based violence. The role of school leadership, particularly principals, in managing and implementing HIV/AIDS interventions is also highlighted, with a focus on the need for effective transformational leadership, capable of generating change and fostering a supportive environment. However, existing literature indicates a lack of research specifically examining management strategies for HIV/AIDS interventions focused on adolescent girls in secondary schools. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring principals' experiences and proposing effective management strategies.

This study employed a non-experimental, qualitative, phenomenological research design to understand principals' lived experiences in managing HIV intervention programs for adolescent girls. The study was conducted in four districts of Gauteng province, South Africa, known for high HIV prevalence. Purposive sampling was used to select ten principals from secondary schools in HIV hotspot areas. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews conducted virtually via Zoom. Each interview lasted 30-40 minutes and was audio-recorded with participants' consent. Data analysis involved transcription, coding, categorization, and thematic analysis. The researchers used predetermined codes derived from the research question, and the resulting themes were compared with existing literature to validate the findings. The demographic data of participants (age, experience with HIV intervention programs, qualifications, and years of experience as principal) are also presented. Two main themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) The knowledge, practices, and attitudes of high school principals regarding HIV programs for adolescent girls; and (2) Proposed leadership and management strategies. Ethical considerations were addressed by obtaining ethical clearance and informed consent from all participants.

The study revealed two main themes: **Theme 1: Knowledge, Practices, and Attitudes of High School Principals**. Principals reported inadequate professional development, highlighting a lack of training and support in managing and implementing HIV/AIDS interventions specifically for adolescent girls. They expressed frustration at the lack of support from stakeholders, including the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The existing programs were also perceived as disrupting the regular school curriculum and impacting teaching time, leading to poor attendance and ineffective outreach. The sensitive nature of HIV/AIDS also presented challenges requiring specific expertise in counseling. **Theme 2: Proposed Leadership and Management Strategies.** Participants proposed several strategies, including fostering effective partnerships with stakeholders, embracing transformational leadership approaches to promote innovation and proactive problem-solving, and strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems to track program effectiveness. The study further highlights the lack of monitoring and evaluation systems in most schools, impacting the ability to assess program effectiveness and the need for more collaborative partnerships with NGOs and other stakeholders. The principals lacked adequate training, resources, and support to effectively manage and implement HIV/AIDS interventions for adolescent girls, underscoring the need for improved support and training from the DBE and other stakeholders.

The findings address the research question by identifying key challenges and proposing specific strategies for improving HIV intervention programs for adolescent girls in South African secondary schools. The inadequate professional development of principals, the disruption of the school curriculum, and the lack of monitoring and evaluation are significant barriers to effective program implementation. The proposed strategies, including promoting adaptability, revising outdated policies, improving leadership engagement, and strengthening monitoring and evaluation, directly address these identified challenges. The study’s emphasis on transformational leadership aligns with existing literature advocating for a proactive and innovative approach to address the complex nature of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The findings contribute to the field by offering practical strategies for improving the effectiveness of school-based HIV interventions and highlight the critical role of leadership in addressing this public health crisis.

This study underscores the need for improved program management strategies for school-based HIV interventions targeting adolescent girls. Strong transformational leadership, coupled with adequate training, resources, and support for principals, is crucial. The suggested strategies – promoting adaptability, revising policies, enhancing leadership engagement, and improving monitoring and evaluation – are key to strengthening the delivery system. Future research could explore the implementation of these strategies in diverse school settings and assess their impact on HIV infection rates among adolescent girls. A community-based component should be integrated to ensure continuity even outside of school hours.

The study's main limitation is the small sample size of ten principals, limiting the generalizability of the findings. The focus on Gauteng province also restricts the applicability of the findings to other regions in South Africa with potentially different contexts. Future research with a larger, more geographically diverse sample is recommended to enhance the generalizability of the findings.