Nasi iSpani: Teacher assistant programme to be relaunched

Former teacher assistants have a glimmer of hope as government has sourced funding for the discontinued programme.  

Teacher assistants were ejected from Gauteng classrooms at the end of July after the provincial government failed to renew their contracts due to a lack of funding.

Protests throughout the second half of 2024 looked to have been in vain, but the provincial government confirmed last week that millions had been secured to reignite the employment project.

R207 million funding allocated

The teacher assistants were first introduced into classrooms via the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative and were later absorbed into Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s Nasi iSpani programme.

Having been left out in the cold after their contracts were not renewed, the former teacher assistants accused the provincial government of using the programme to win electoral support in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.

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Under the Gauteng Youth Brigade banner, teacher assistants took their grievances to the provincial and national departments of education and several were arrested in August after blocking major routes near Heidelberg in August.  

Provincial government had earlier stated they would consider refunding the programme and Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile said during his budget speech that a once-off allocation of R207 million had been set aside for the teacher assistants.

However, regarding the number positions to be filled, the need to reapply or the length of the employment contracts, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) told The Citizen that they will release those details when available.

Playing catch up

Sihle Msizi was one of the GYB’s lead protest organisors and hopes that preference will be given to the previous beneficiaries, but accepts that some may be excluded due to age.

On the possibility of returning to the classroom, he described a “mix of emotions”, as the time away may have hampered any momentum he and his colleagues may have generated.

“I’m apprehensive about rebuilding relationships, re-establishing trust, and creating a positive learning environment,” Mzisi explained to The Citizen.

“Nevertheless, I see this as an opportunity for growth, healing, and renewed commitment to education and community,” he added.

‘Step in right direction’

Msizi stated that the teacher assistant programme and other government employment initiatives were about more than a select group of beneficiaries, but were about giving the youth hope.

“As someone who’s been affected by unemployment, I’m eager to see the government’s plans come to fruition,” he said.

“The Department of Education’s efforts to provide support for unemployed educators and educators assistants, such as the e-recruitment system, are a step in the right direction.

“However, more needs to be done to address the systemic issues contributing to unemployment in Gauteng,” Msizi concluded.

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