Basic Education creates employment opportunities for young people

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

As part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, the basic education sector aims to create 200 000 employment opportunities for Education Assistants and 100 000 for General School Assistants.

This, according to the department, will be accomplished through the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI).

Provincial Education Departments have already started issuing advertisements to recruit qualifying candidates for this initiative using a wide variety of media platforms. Interested parties are urged to look out for the adverts in all provinces.

The BEEI seeks to address COVID-19 academic disruptions as well as some of the lingering systemic challenges.

Education Assistants will support teachers in the classroom and provide extra support to learners. General School Assistants will help schools to comply with COVID-19 protocols while ensuring that teaching and learning take place in a safe, secure and hygienic environment.

The 300 000 employment opportunities are targeted at youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. Recruitment will take place at the community level, with schools required to prioritise candidates living near the school.

“An orientation manual has been prepared and digitised to ensure that the young people get trained on their roles and responsibilities.

“In addition, various training programmes have been prepared to equip successful candidates with skills that will ensure they are ready to take up their duties as well as ensuring that they gain meaningful experience to improve their employability, beyond participating in the BEEI,” the department said.

The young people will start working in public schools across the country from 1 December 2020. The DBE has partnered with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator to digitise the recruitment processes across the provinces.

“Through this partnership, candidates will be able to apply for the employment opportunities via SAYouth.mobi.

“An added benefit for the young people who register on the mobisite will be that they will gain access to many other employment opportunities, linked to their education, skills and experiences. SA Youth uses each work seeker's data to match them to opportunities and as they gain experience and skills, presents them with further opportunities,” the department said.

Accessing the BEEI employment opportunities can be done through sayouth.datafree.co/p/dbe. This is a zero-rate mobisite that can be accessed through a mobile phone. Candidates without access to the internet can call 0800 727272, which is a toll free number. – SAnews.gov.za