Ramaphosa Highlights Youth Jobs Drive in Schools as Key Education Reform Tool

A cornerstone of government’s response is the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), launched in 2020 as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed the South African government’s commitment to expanding work opportunities for young people while improving the quality of education, describing targeted school-based interventions as essential to preparing learners for a rapidly changing world.

In his weekly newsletter today, following the recent State of the Nation Address, the President reflected on the country’s progress in widening access to education over the past three decades, including steady improvements in matric results. However, he acknowledged that deep inequalities in the schooling system persist.

“Access to resources and quality teaching is uneven. Schools in townships and rural areas often struggle with overcrowding and educators have limited access to professional development and support,” he said.

Basic Education Employment Initiative: Largest Youth Employment Programme in SA History

A cornerstone of government’s response is the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), launched in 2020 as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

The programme deploys young people to schools as education assistants and general school assistants, strengthening teaching and learning while providing large-scale employment.

To date, the initiative has created more than 1.3 million work opportunities, making it the largest youth employment programme in South Africa’s history.

The President said the initiative advances the goals of the Public Employment Stimulus by delivering both employment and measurable social value.

Supporting Teachers, Strengthening Learning

Ramaphosa stressed that education assistants play a direct role in improving learning outcomes by easing the burden on teachers.

“The work of the education assistants allows teachers to spend more time on teaching and on lesson preparation, thereby contributing directly to improved educational outcomes,” he said.

Education assistants have been placed in 19,000 no-fee primary schools, where they provide support in numeracy and literacy, including serving as Reading Champions to strengthen bilingual reading and foundational learning.

The President noted that improvements in literacy skills are already being observed in many participating schools.

Skills Development for Young Participants

The programme is also equipping young South Africans with practical skills that enhance employability.

General school assistants are required to have at least a Grade 9 qualification, while education assistants must hold a matric certificate.

In the most recent phase:

• 32% of education assistants had some form of tertiary qualification

• 14% held a teaching qualification

Participants receive compulsory and optional training in areas including:

• School and online safety

• Financial literacy

• Word processing

• AI fluency and coding

• Digital learning support

Beyond curriculum assistance, participants also contribute to:

• Care and support for at-risk learners

• Laboratory and workshop support

• Strengthening digital learning environments

Expanding Early Childhood Development Support

The President also highlighted government’s efforts to expand access to Early Childhood Development (ECD), including:

• The Bana Pele mass registration of ECD facilities

• Increased subsidies for ECD learners

• Expanded support through the Social Employment Fund

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, working with an implementing partner, is assisting more than 1,000 disadvantaged and underfunded ECD centres to meet subsidy requirements.

Support includes:

• Nutritional assistance

• Toys, books and learning materials

The Social Employment Fund now reaches over 50,000 children in ECD centres nationwide.

A Call for Multisectoral Cooperation

President Ramaphosa emphasised that delivering quality education is a constitutional imperative that requires collaboration across society.

“These initiatives illustrate clearly the benefits of multisectoral cooperation between government, the private sector and civil society,” he said.

“It is our aspiration that this successful programme should continue to grow as we strive to create more work opportunities for young South Africans and at the same time, deliver quality education for all.”

The newsletter reflects government’s dual focus on tackling youth unemployment while strengthening the foundations of South Africa’s education system through targeted, scalable interventions.