The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) is back for 2024! Following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's announcement earlier this year, the initiative will continue to provide valuable employment opportunities for young South Africans.
This exciting news means thousands of young people will have the chance to gain valuable experience as teaching assistants and general school assistants in schools across the country.
Minister Godongwana revealed that over 1.7 million youth have benefitted from the program so far.
Not only do participants gain an income, but they also receive skills development training. This equips them with valuable qualifications that can enhance their future job prospects after their PYEI contract ends.
The announcement has understandably sparked excitement among many young South Africans eager to join the programme. However, the Department of Basic Education cautions everyone to be vigilant.
Don't be scammed. If the information is not issued by us, it's probably fake.
Deputy Minister Dr. Reginah Mhaule specifically warned the public against applying for positions advertised outside of official Department of Basic Education channels. There have been reports of misleading job advertisements circulating on social media.
To stay updated on the official application process, keep an eye on the Department of Basic Education website and social media channels. This will ensure you have access to accurate information and avoid falling victim to scams.
When Teacher Assistants Initiative Phase 5 Applications Will Open
Applications for Phase 5 of the PYEI Teaching Assistant program have not yet opened.
While the South African government has confirmed the PYEI's extension in 2024, along with a dedicated budget, there's no official word yet on when Phase 5 applications will open. This means there are currently no active teaching assistant positions within the Basic Education Sector.
Implemented nationwide across all nine of South Africa's provinces under the "Basic Education Employment Initiative" (BEEI), the programme has demonstrably empowered young people. Over its four successful phases, which concluded with Phase IV in September 2023, the PYEI has provided job opportunities to well over one million young South Africans.
Progress Of BEEI
In the initial phase, 320,000 young individuals were temporarily appointed as Education Assistants and General School Assistants in various public schools around the country.
Youth were trained to eventually be able to enter work in teaching Home Languages, First Additional Languages, Mathematics, Business, Commerce and Management (BCM).
Phase II took place from November 2021 to March 2022, followed shortly by Phase III, which started in April 2022, and ended in August 2022. Finally, Phase IV started in March of 2023 and ended recently, at the end of September.
The Plan for Phase IV was to place 255,000 youth employees in public schools across the country. They managed to reach 92% of that goal. In total, the initiative managed to place 235 939 youth employees.
