As schools have gone back to full-time tabling, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) will be introducing something new for teaching assistants.
The Education Department has confirmed that Phase three of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) in the Basic Education Sector will commence from 1 April 2022.
As some contracts of Teachers Assistants come to an end, there is a possible extension but there is a certain criteria that will be looked at.
The Education Department has decided that some candidates no longer meet the requirements to remain in the programme, therefore, not everyone will continue to the next phase.
In a social media post, DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga clarified:
If you are in the programme your school will explain the process. Guidelines have been made available to school principals.
The department requires all schools to complete and submit the details of all of the candidates that meet those requirements to be transitioned from Phase II into Phase III.
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 schools.
This new cohort of assistants will be granted the opportunity to use the skills they have gathered through the training they received in Phase II, and to use those skills in supporting teaching and learning in schools.
A 20-year-old assistant that has asked for her identity to be hidden has encouraged upcoming assistants to be able to work in teams as they will assist teachers in schools and be ready to work with children.
The cohort of student assistants that started working as of 28 February 2022 will be offered new fixed-term contracts commencing on 1 April 2022 until 30 August 2022.
According to Mhlanga, this is to ensure continuity, maintain stability, and sustained impact in schools.
