More than 280,000 young people have been successfully recruited and placed in schools around the country. From November 1 they started serving in the second phase of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) in Basic Education.

These appointments follow a month long rigorous online application process, which included shortlisting and finally the placement of successful candidates. Following the closure of the application process, in excess of 6 million applications were received from 940 000 unique applicants seeking placement for the 287 000 positions that had been made available through the Phase 2 Budget for the PYEI.

To date 280 000 young people have been placed in schools across the country to fulfil various curricular and extra-curricular activities including Reading Champions, eCadres, Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCW) as well as handymen. Successive to the signing of the contracts, the recruits have been furnished with the relevant job descriptions and assigned to mentors, whose task is to provide guidance, advice and support for the duration of their contracts. The Assistants are currently undergoing orientation at the schools that they’ve been allocated to.

The DBE has also packaged a training programme, offered at no cost to the Assistants, which includes modules in financial management, digital literacy, Microsoft Office and technical skills for artisans. Although some schools have already started, the training will earnestly commence in all schools during December. With this training, the DBE wants to ensure that the young people leave the initiative having gained valuable experience and skills that will open doors to other career pathways.

It has, however, been noted by the Department that some unsuccessful candidates have raised concerns around the appointment and subsequent placement of successful candidates. Should anyone suspect foul play in placements, they are urged to report it to the Presidential Hotline: 17737 or president@presidency.gov.za

The DBE urges schools to make full use of the wide range of skills and talents that the Assistants will offer to schools, especially areas that will strengthen administrative functioning, the provision of ICT support as well as general assistance with the upkeep of the school environment.

Source: Government of South Africa