Basic Education announces 20,000-job pilot to boost early-grade literacy and numeracy

The Department of Basic Education has announced a new pilot phase of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), which will create more than 20,000 work opportunities while providing additional support to improve literacy and numeracy in the early grades.

The Foundation Phase Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) pilot will be implemented in selected public primary schools across all nine provinces from January to March 2027.

Under the programme, trained FLN Education Assistants will work alongside teachers to provide additional classroom support and help learners strengthen essential reading, writing and mathematics skills.

The initiative builds on the BEEI, which was launched in 2020 as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus and has since become one of South Africa's largest youth employment programmes.

Unlike previous phases, the new pilot will specifically focus on strengthening the foundations of literacy and numeracy during the early years of schooling.

“The BEEI pilot represents an important shift towards linking youth employment with improved learning outcomes,” said Department of Basic Education spokesperson Terence Khala.

“By placing trained Education Assistants in Foundation Phase classrooms, we are strengthening the support available to teachers while giving young learners greater opportunities to develop essential reading, writing and numeracy skills.”

The literacy component will focus on reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and early writing, while numeracy support will help learners develop confidence with numbers, strengthen mental mathematics and understand mathematical concepts through practical and visual activities.

Education Assistants will work alongside classroom teachers to provide structured, curriculum-aligned support, with additional coordination and mentoring at school level.

The pilot will also assess its impact on learner performance and determine how effectively the model can be implemented across different school environments.

The findings will be used to guide future improvements and inform the long-term direction of the BEEI, while giving participating young people valuable workplace experience and skills that could improve their future employment prospects.

Who can apply?

Young South Africans interested in the programme should be between 22 and 39 years old, unemployed and in possession of a valid South African identity document.

Applicants must either hold a Bachelor of Education (BEd) qualification in Foundation Phase or Intermediate Phase, or be in their third or fourth year of studying towards a BEd qualification in either phase.

Successful applicants will be required to undergo vetting against the National Child Protection Register and apply for vetting against the National Sex Offenders Register.

Applicants will also need a valid police clearance certificate that is not older than three months.

The Department urged eligible young people to prepare for the recruitment process and monitor its official communication platforms for the advertisement.

The official recruitment advertisement is expected to be released later in November 2026 through the SA Mobi App.

Further information on the application process and requirements will be communicated by the Department of Basic Education.