Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says sustained economic growth is key to expanding employment opportunities in South Africa’s education sector. She made the remarks during a media briefing in Pretoria ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s scheduled engagements with youth beneficiaries of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) and the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) programmes.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa is set to visit several sites, including Sefako Makgatho Primary School, the South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACII), and the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), to spotlight public-private partnerships that are helping create job opportunities for young people.
Gwarube noted that while initiatives such as the teaching and education assistant programmes offer vital support to schools, they are not replacements for permanent teaching staff.
“One of the most heartbreaking things is the extent of the unemployment crisis in our country. We have to grow the economy to create jobs—enough to fund the vacancies in our system,” she said.
Sefako Makgatho Primary is part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), which places young people in public schools as education and general assistants to combat youth unemployment and bolster the education system.
At SACII, a creative hub based in Eersterust, young participants are trained in visual special effects (VFX) — a niche but growing industry. The initiative is funded through the National Pathway Management Network and links trainees to opportunities in the creative gig economy.
Ramaphosa’s final stop will be at the FPD, where unemployed youth and healthcare professionals receive customised clinical and management training. This programme is supported by the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, which ties funding to actual employment outcomes.
These site visits aim to demonstrate how innovative partnerships and skills-based programmes are opening pathways to dignified and sustainable work for South Africa’s youth.
VOC News
Photo: X/ @DBE_SA
