The Department of Basic Education is pleased to confirm that Phase III of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) in the Basic Education sector will commence from 1 April 2022.
Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) Phase 3
Phase Il of the PYEI in the Basic Education sector has been implemented since 1 November 2021. The current cohort of +/- 280 000 Assistants are on a five-months contract, which will expire on 31 March 2022.
To ensure continuity, maintain stability and sustained impact in schools, the youth appointed in schools as at 28 February 2022 will be offered new fixed-term contracts commencing on 1 April 2022 until 30 August 2022.
Since the education sector has now returned to full capacity, the department had to consider the number of assistants that schools can accommodate and the budgetary requirements as well as the value added by assistants in schools. It was decided that some candidates no longer meet the requirements to remain in the programme, therefore, not everyone will continue into Phase III. Upon the youth’s exit, the Department through eCubed Technologies will provide exit packages which may include: how to build a CV, service letter and information on other opportunities that the youth may access.
It is worth noting that some of the youth who were initially part of the cohort in Phase I and II have since found employment elsewhere; registered for further studies or left the programme to pursue other opportunities. The PYEI has, in this regard, fulfilled one of its mandates, that being the creation of pathways to further opportunities and success for the youth.
All schools are required to complete and submit the details of all the youth meeting the requirements to be transitioned from Phase || into Phase III. A type-form is provided for this purpose through the Provincial Education Department (PEDs). The completion of the type-form is thus mandatory.
All schools are required to have their Assistants captured on the National Data Management System (DMS) as this is the official management and reporting system for the initiative. The systems department wants to acknowledge Bhelela Technologies for providing this data management system at no cost to the sector.
The youth remaining in the programme will be given an opportunity to use the skills they have acquired through the training already provided to them in Phase II, to support teaching and learning in our schools.
With Term 1 of the 2022 academic year ending on 17 March 2022 for inland schools and 24 March 2022 for coastal schools, PEDs should urgently communicate to schools on the termination of Phase II contracts and the commencement of Phase III contracts for Assistants. PEDs should issue circulars and all relevant documents for Phase III to schools in that regard. This will assist in providing certainty to the youth.
The Department accepted the challenge to help mitigate the devastating impact of the COVID 19 pandemic in volatile, complex and ambiguous circumstances by swiftly adopting and implementing a business unusual approach to achieve the twin goals of rescuing the education sector and providing much needed employment to youth.
The initiative was implemented under stringent timelines, with great efficiency. The Department wishes to acknowledge the contribution of the partner SA Youth mobi in the efficient processes implemented for recruitment of the youth both in Phase I and II. This partnership came at no cost to the sector. The initiative has positioned the Basic Education Sector as a vehicle for addressing systemic sectorial challenges and assisted government in making strides towards a post-COVID-19 future.
The initiative has assisted the sector by providing capacity to schools to manage the impact of COVID-19 on schooling, supported teachers and learners in classrooms, whilst supporting the Basic Education Sector as it repositions, re-imagines and reboots the future beyond COVID-19. The Department would also want to acknowledge the partners that are working tirelessly in training the Assistants in the identified sector priority areas:
Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) subjects, BCM subjects, Reading and Literary for Reading Champions, eCadres – ICT integrating in classrooms; Handymen/women – infrastructure maintenance, Child and Youth Care Workers – psychosocial support to learners and Sport and Enrichment
The Department urges all the successful young people to adhere to all the conditions of their hiring and to cooperate with school principals to whom they report.
The Department wishes to express its sincere appreciation for the successful implementation of the Presidential programme both in Phase I and II: to the Provincial Education Departments, Districts, Circuits, School Management Teams, School Governing Bodies, teachers, learners, the entire schooling communities, the communities, the assistants, the social partners, civil society partners and internal departmental officials.
