South Africa: Basic Education on official ending of Phase III of The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI)

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Phase III of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) implemented in the Basic Education sector will conclude at the end of the month of August. The third phase started on 1 April 2022 and the qualifying youth were placed in more than 20 000 schools across the nine provinces.

As initially communicated in terms of the project management plan based on available resources, Phase III comes to an end on 31 August 2022 with no further extension. Preparations are already underway for Phase IV which will start early in 2023 with a new cohort of young people. The PYEI is meant to provide the youth with an opportunity to gain work experience, obtain skills through informal and formal training that are offered by provinces and Department of Basic Education.

The PYEI further afforded young South Africans an opportunity of making meaningful economic contribution in their communities. The significant achievement of PYEI helps in addressing the triple challenge of inequality among the genders, unemployment and poverty. As government we urge youth to continue to grab the upskilling opportunities that are available, and we further urge all stakeholders to invest in the next generation of talent.

The youth placed in Phase III of PYEI are in the main, the youth that were placed in either in Phase I and II or in Phase II only as they met the requirements stipulated in the Implementation Framework. The Ministry would like to take this opportunity to thank all the youth that participated in PYEI.

The Ministry further requests that you continue to use the skills, knowledge, experience you gained whilst placed in schools to broaden your horizons. Some of the youth have started buddy support classes as a small fee, others are tutoring in the subjects that they excel in, others are doing infrastructure jobs in communities.

Message to the Youth:

The Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and Provincial Education Departments wish to extend their gratitude to all the youth that participated in Phase II and III of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) in the Basic Education sector.

The youth are encouraged to continue using the skills, competencies and knowledge that were acquired through this initiative. The Ministry wants to wish you well in your future plans.

Message to the School Governing Bodies, School Management Teams and School Principals:

The Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and the Provincial Education Departments express their appreciation for the contributions and commitment you provided throughout the implementation of Phase I, II and III. You allowed the youth to be part of the school culture, you provided guidance, training and support throughout the placement of youth in your schools, for that the Ministry sends its message of gratitude and appreciation.

Message to our communities:

The Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and the Provincial Education Departments thank you for your vigilance throughout the implementation of PYEI Phase I, II and III. You reported any challenge that you noticed during the implementation. The DBE sends its message of gratitude and appreciation for all your efforts of curbing unbecoming practices. The DBE requests that you prepare a new cohort of youth, that they apply for Phase IV, through your vigilance and participation in building your communities.

Message to our partners:

The Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and the Provincial Education Departments express their sincere gratitude to all partners that came on board since 2020 to offer funding, human resources, skills and knowledge to the youth of South Africa. The generosity big and small, is highly appreciated as it contributed to the upliftment of youth and communities of South Africa. The Ministry extends its appreciation and gratitude.

Message to our Departmental officials both at DBE, provinces and districts:

The Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and the Heads of Education Departments express their sincere gratitude for working tirelessly since 2020. Your contribution has resulted in the excellent success stories that are told about the PYEI today. The Ministry extends its appreciation and gratitude.

Phase III terminates on 31 August 2022 with no further extension and DBE values the contributions of all participants in PYEI, officials, assistants, schools and business.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Basic Education: Republic of South Africa.