South Africa’s worrying youth unemployment rate, which currently stands at 63.9% for those aged 15-24 and 42.1% for those aged 25-34 years, has left younger South Africans struggling to gain experience and financially support themselves and their families. This distressing statistic, which continues to increase year after year, has become a major concern.
Development Of The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative
The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) was developed with the aim of providing job opportunities to South African youth between the ages of 18 and 34 years old in an attempt to decrease the youth unemployment rate.
Youth are provided with the opportunity to help out as general assistants at schools in the Basic Education Sector. This way, they are gaining and developing skills that can make them more employable when entering the workforce, while also earning an income.
The stipends teacher assistants receive are equivalent to the National Minimum Wage (NMW). This also includes a contribution to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
The initiative encourages the youth to develop both hard and soft skills, as well as gain valuable competencies and experiences that can set them up for success, which they should take full advantage of.
Positive Results Of The Programme
The PYEI, which has been rolled out in phases, has created over one million jobs. In 2022, an estimated 63% of these opportunities were occupied by women. This programme has successfully addressed the triple challenge of unemployment, gender inequality and poverty.
This initiative has even sparked an interest in the education sector, with some hoping to go on to become teachers themselves, which the country is currently facing a shortage of.
For others, it has provided hope and a sense of stability, and the idea of upskilling themselves while receiving financial compensation, paving the way to better and brighter futures for them and their families.
It has helped me to not be in one of the statistics of the unemployed youth. It has also helped my grades and helped my family financially, and also to make them proud because at the moment I am the only one receiving an income.
Additionally, the introduction of these educator assistants has improved the learning environment within schools, as well as helped to recover the learning losses experienced as a result of the pandemic.
Phase Five Of The Employment Initiative
The initiative is currently in phase four which began in February this year and will come to an end in September 2023. A fifth phase has not yet been confirmed, but eyes are on the Government to provide youth with the opportunities they so desperately need.
While the Employment Initiative has faced some criticism with regard to it not being expanded further, school staff members and relevant stakeholders agree that the programme has seen favourable results, hopefully encouraging Government to further extend the initiative.
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