Abstract
The Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), as a branch of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI), was envisioned as a dichotomous solution to South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis and a support mechanism to address “sector inherent challenges related to the teacher work force” (DBE, n.d., p. 3) as well as “rescuing the education sector” (DBE, 2021a). Since the initiative’s launch in 2020, there appeared to be no reported evidence of studies to measure its success and explore the value its employees added to schools (DBE, 2021d). With minimal studies available, there is limited knowledge regarding the relevance and benefits of such an initiative in creating new avenues for addressing teaching and learning support needs within the South African context. Through a qualitative analysis of 11 individual interviews with teachers, PYEI assistants, a school management member as well as a district-based educational psychologist, this case study aimed to develop an understanding of how the PYEI-BEEI assistants had been utilised and experienced within a Gauteng based, government school. Furthermore, it aimed to explore the experiences of stakeholders in supporting learners through the PYEI-BEEI, and establish stakeholder perspectives on how to optimise the implementation of the PYEI-BEEI in schools for optimal learner support within a systemic, inclusive education focus. A lack of involvement by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), inadequate training, a burden of responsibility on schools, and limited use of the assistants in addressing the impacts of COVID 19 portray this school’s experience of the PYEI as falling short of meeting inclusive education outcomes. Benefits such as cultural connection, assisting with light administration tasks, short-term impacts of COVID 19, and positive PYEI-school relationships were highlighted as the positive aspects of the experience. This case study contributes new perspectives on how teaching and learning support interventions could be researched in overburdened South African schools.
Key words: Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI), inclusive education, teaching, learning, support, South Africa, case study, impacts of COVID 19.