The Western Cape Education Department has announced it will offer up to 500 qualified Grade R teachers a permanent post with service benefits from 1 January 2023.

The announcement comes on World Teachers Day.

The Department says this is part of its commitment to expanding access to Grade R and boosting Early Learning in the Western Cape.

Grade R is a very important Foundation Phase, which has been identified as a priority by the Department.

MEC David Maynier says Early Learning makes all the difference to a child’s later school grades, with improved results in later schooling years, particularly matric.

The offer applies to those teachers who are already employed at a school in a subsidised Grade R position. These teachers must meet the required teaching qualification in order to be appointed as a Post Level 1 teacher.

The appointment of these teachers will cost approximately R321 million over the next three years.

A detailed circular was sent to schools on 27 September 2022 outlining the requirements and process to be followed for the appointments.

The teachers will be required to provide their documents for vetting, which must be uploaded to the appointment system by 14 October 2022.

We are also in the process of exploring a qualification pathway that would allow under-qualified Grade R practitioners to obtain the required qualifications for appointment.

Maynier says it’s about supporting teachers who play such a pivotal role in children’s lives.

The teachers of the Western Cape are our Department’s most valuable asset, and we must do all that we can to support them.

Meanwhile, Department is also currently recruiting 20 500 Education Assistants and General School assistants for public and special schools in the province through the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI).

This is the fourth phase of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative in the Basic Education sector. In this phase, only new applicants who have not participated in previous phases will be considered.

The applications are open until 16 October 2022. Unemployed youth between the ages of 18 – 34 (turning 35 before or on 31 March 2024) are encouraged to apply for Education and General Assistants posts at a public school within a 5km radius of their place of residence.

Candidates who wish to apply for Assistant positions at special schools need to be between the ages of 18 – 39 turning 40 before or on 31 March 2024.

Potential candidates can apply online on https://sayouth.datafree.co/p/dbe. No applications will be accepted at school nor through the WCED.