Question NW1362 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
28 July 2022 - NW1362
Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Noting that a group of leaner support agents who work in schools under her department have raised certain issues in relation to their working conditions (details furnished), (a) how will she address the specified issues across the board and (b) what are the prospects of having such learner support agents permanently employed by her department?
Reply:
How will the minister address these issues across the board? What are the prospects of having them permanently employed by the department?
1.Learner Support Agents Recruitment, Roles and Responsibilities and Working Environment.
- Learner Support Agents are placed in schools by the Department of Basic Education and sector partners supporting the implementation of Co-curriculum programmes including the USAID and the Global Fund. To ensure that the implementation is standard and LSAs are not exploited, the DBE has developed a standard contract for LSAs which articulates the roles and responsibilities of the LSAs and schools. Provinces also conduct an orientation workshop for the school community and the LSAs on the contracts, roles and responsibilities .
- Furthermore, the Department is in the process of developing the LSA Operational Framework which aims to standardise the LSA programme and provide a clear field guide for the implementation and management of LSA programme across the country.
2. Prospects of them being permanently employed.
- The LSA offering is an empowerment or learnership programme which seeks to assist young people by giving them an opportunity to get skills and work experience. They are employed through the EPWP Code of good practice which clearly outlines the nature of the employment – e.g. Section 4 (Beneficiaries of special public works programmes), Section 7 (Duration of Participation), Section 8 (Forced labour is prohibited), Section 9 (Unemployment insurance), Section 10 (Payment), Section 11 (Hours of work), Section 13 (Health and Safety) amongst others.