Education
With reference to the conclusion of phases of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) under the Presidential Youth Employment Stimulus:
(a) How many (i) education assistant and (ii) general school assistant positions have been terminated in the province, (b) how many beneficiaries in the province were affected by the termination of these positions, (c)(i) at which schools in the province were these positions located and (ii) how many positions were lost and (d) what measures, if any, have been implemented to mitigate the impact of these job losses on the affected schools and participants?
My department has informed me of the following:
The Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) is a Presidential allocation for job creation, and funding was partially through earmarked funding from National Treasury (1/3) and allocated from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (2/3).
The initiative in the Basic Education sector was earmarked for support to schools, especially quintile 1 to 3 or no-fee schools, and special schools. Provincial Education Departments were not required to allocate additional funding towards this initiative.
Positions made available through the budgetary provisions for Phase V:
Assistant Category
Number
Education Assistant
12 889
General School Assistant
6 440
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) did not terminate any position as all contracts had a start and end date linked to the duration of Phase V of the BEEI, as guided and directed by the Department of Basic Education.
2
There were 1 351 schools who benefitted from the allocation of Assistants for Phase V of the Basic Education Employment Initiative.
