The School Assistants Programme which saw over 320 000 South African youth get hired to assist in schools might have another round. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) are now looking at this possibility.
It's important to note that this does not mean that the contracts of the first phase of assistants will be extended. Instead, the department explained what might happen in a statement which read:
... discussions are underway to review and repackage the initiative with a proposed second phase.
This second phase will start later this year, said DBE.
In some provinces, adverts for similar programmes have appeared but the department made it a point to say that these are not linked to the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.
These 320 000 individuals were hired as either Teacher assistants or General Education assistants.
67% of them were recruited as Teacher Assistants while the remaining 33% were General Education Assistants.
The programme, which started in December 2020, came to an end on 30 April.
Government spent R7 billion on the programme, "of which R6 998 billion was distributed to provinces as an equitable share".
1% of the R4,47 billion which was directed towards youth employment went towards UIF contributions and another 1% went towards training.
Nothing has been finalised yet when it comes to the second phase of the programme.
Media statement from @DBE_SA regarding the Employment Initiative it has implemented in the basic education sector: pic.twitter.com/XoFZpn3Q3T
— Elijah Mhlanga (@ElijahMhlanga) April 30, 2021
