Sadtu welcomes the resumption of the education assistants programme in schools

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has welcomed the 200 000 young people who this week began work as education assistants and general school assistants in  public schools across the country. The programme is part of  the Department of Basic Education’s  Employment Initiative, a flagship programme of the Presidential Employment Stimulus. The initiative was first introduced at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 and was unfortunately halted in 2024.

Education assistants provide administrative support to teachers  in classroom preparation before lessons, in the classroom during lessons and manage learners after lessons while general school assistants. General school assistants support the upkeep and maintenance of school infrastructure.

“We are confident that the return of the programme will once again bring much-needed relief to the teachers, particularly those managing overcrowded classrooms struggling with the burden of administrative tasks. This support will also allow teachers to devote more time addressing the individual educational needs of learners,” the union said. 

Sadtu added that the employment of these young people not only benefits schools but also offers temporary relief from the growing youth unemployment crisis. However, to make a more sustainable and meaningful impact, SADTU believes that these positions should eventually be converted to permanent posts to ensure continuity and consistency in support services.

“We wish to reiterate that these education assistants are not teachers. Therefore, we expect  teachers to provide proper clear guidance and supervision in the classroom to ensure that the assistants can deliver the appropriate support. We encourage these young workers to use this opportunity to develop valuable skills that will benefit them in future employment opportunities. Lastly, we trust this new cohort of assistants has been thoroughly vetted, ensuring that learners remain in safe and secure learning environments,” the statement concluded.