Conditions of Placement For Education Assistants (EAs) and General School Assistants (GSAs)
Conditions of Placement For Education Assistants (EAs) and General School Assistants (GSAs)
Conditions of Placement For Education Assistants (EAs) and General School Assistants (GSAs)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 This document contains the standard terms and conditions for the placement of Education
Assistants and General School Assistants in schools as part of the PYEI in the Basic Education
Sector.
1.2 In terms of Section 58 of the Public Service Regulations, 2016, an Executive Authority may
appoint persons who are part of a developmental programme, including but not limited to,
internships, learnerships and apprenticeships, on such terms and conditions that shall be
determined by the Minister.
1.3 These conditions of placement for Education Assistants and General School Assistants shall
apply to all assistants placed in schools as part of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative,
implemented in the Basic Education Sector.
1.4 By signing this contract, I accept that my personal information may be shared with other
institutions for purposes of verification and that when processing such information, the school
or Department of Education will comply with the POPI Act and all other applicable legislation.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 In this Document –
‘’Department’’ means the Provincial Education Department
‘’Employer’’ means the Provincial Education Department or person acting on behalf of the employer
‘’Management’’ means any person employed by the department at a school or Provincial
Education Department to lead or manage people/officials.
‘’Worker ‘’ means any person working as an Education Assistant and General School
Assistant.
“Job placement” means a temporary job that someone does in an organisation to gain work
experience on a short time basis
‘’EA’’ means Education Assistant further categorised as Curriculum Assistant, Reading Champion,
eCadre/ICT and Care & Support Assistant
‘’GSA’’ means General School Assistant further categorised as Handyman and Sport and
Enrichment Assistant.
Conditions of employment for PYEI - Phase IV fixed term contract with no extension 1
“youth” means a young person that is between ages 18 – 34 years, that is turning 35 on or before March
2024.
“youth in LSEN school” means a person that is between ages 18 – 39 years, that is turning 40 on
or before March 2024.
3. CONTRACT PERIOD
The contract period for Phase IV of PYEI in the province - Department of Education extends from 1
Feb 2023 to 30 September 2023.
4. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
4.1 The placement of EAs and GSAs shall be guided by the following legislation:
4.1.1 Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997;
4.1.2 Sectoral Determination 5: Learnership Sector, SA (Government Notice No. R234 as amended)
4.1.3 Section 58 of the Public Service Regulations, 2016 on Developmental Programmes
4.1.4 Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA)
4.2 The contract of an EA and GA is for a specified period only with no expectation of permanency
or an extension of the contract.
6. MEAL BREAKS
6.1 The EA/GSA may not work for more than five hours without taking a meal break of at least thirty
minutes’ duration.
6.2 An employer may require the EA/GSA to perform duties during a meal break if those duties
cannot be left unattended and cannot be performed by another person or educator. However,
an employer must take reasonable steps to ensure that the EA/GSA is relieved of his or her
duties to take such a meal break thereafter.
7.1 EA/GSA are not allowed to work on weekends, including public holidays, However, an EA/GSA
may, in agreement with the principal, work on weekends and preferably Saturdays to perform
work which must be done without delay and could not be performed by EA/GSA during their
ordinary hours of work (‘’emergency work’’).
8. VACATION LEAVE
8.1 The EA/GSA is entitled to one-day vacation leave for everyone full month that the EA/GSA has
worked in terms of the contract.
9. SICK LEAVE
9.1 The EA/GSA is entitled to take one day’s sick leave for every full month that the EA/GSA has
worked in terms of the contract if he/she is unable to report for duty due to illness or injury.
9.2 Sick leave day/s may not be accumulated and transferred from one month to another.
9.3 An employer may require the EA/GSA to produce a medical certificate stating that the EA/GSA
was unable to work on account of sickness or injury if the EA/GSA is-
9.4 A medical certificate must be issued and signed by a medical practitioner, a qualified nurse or
clinic staff member authorised to issue medical certificates indicating the duration and reason
for incapacity.
11.1 EAs/GSAs who work at least five days per week, are entitled to three days of paid family
responsibility leave each for the term of contract in the following circumstances-
12.1 An employer must give the EA/GSA a copy of the signed contract of employment together
with this document containing the terms and Conditions of Employment and Code of Conduct at the
start of employment. The contract of employment must contain the following details–
The PYEI is a short term initiative with a limited time contract, that is aimed at the development of
youth. The initiative therefore does not cater for maternity or paternity leave. Assistants placed in
schools as part of the initiative may not be away from school for days that are not covered by vacation
leave, family responsibility leave or sick leave.
14.1 EAs / GSAs do not qualify for paid study leave. This means that should the Assistant
request leave for study or Exam purpose, the days will be taken from vacation leave if they have
accumulated their days. Should the assistant not have any days accumulated, then the days
absent will be taken as leave without pay.
15.1 Every employer and school principal must keep written records of at least the following
–
15.1.1 the EA/GSA’s name; position; physical address and contact details;
15.1.2 copy of an acceptable EA/GSA identification;
15.1.3 Payments made to each EA/GSA;
15.1.4 Attendance register;
15.1.5 Performance records;
15.1.6 Disciplinary action records, if any was ever taken against such EA/GSA, during the cause
of the programme;
15.1.7 Certificates of Trainings attended including Orientation
15.1.8 Police Clearance Record (PCR) or application
15.1.9 Clearance Certificate from Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
(DoJ&CD) on the NSRO or proof of application
15.2 The employer must keep this record for the period of the programme or at least three
years after termination of the contract.
16. PAYMENT
16.1 The EA/GSA is entitled to a gross monthly stipend of R4081.44 per month for each full
month worked. There will be a 1% deduction for UIF resulting in a net stipend of R4040.63
16.2 A pro rata payment will be made if the EA/GSA does not work the full month. Payment will
be calculated at R135.53 for each day worked in the month.
16.4 An employer must pay all stipends in full every month into an employee’s bank account and
on the date agreed upon in the employment contract.
16.5 The EA/GSA may not be paid less than the minimum stipend stated in the contract of
employment.
16.6 Payment must be directly deposited into a bank account designated by the EA/GSA.
16.7 An employer must give the EA/GSA the following information in writing, upon request
(may be contained in the salary advice):
16.7.1 The period on which payment is made;
16.7.2 The numbers of tasks completed or hours worked;
16.7.3 The EA/GSA’s earnings;
16.7.4 Any money deducted from payment;
16.7.5 The actual amount to be paid to the EA/GSA.
17. DEDUCTIONS
17.1 An employer shall not deduct money from the EA/GSA’s payment without the
EA/GSA’s consent unless the deduction is required in terms of the law.
17.2 An employer must deduct and pay to the Department of Employment and Labour,
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) that the EA/GSA is required to pay.
17.3 An employer may deduct any money that was overpaid to the EA/GSA erroneously.
17.4 An employer may not require or allow the EA/GSA to pay the employer or any person
for having been employed.
17.5 An employer may deduct from the stipend of the EA/GSA the amount equal to the
number of days that the youth took leave that is outside the allocated leave days.
17.6 Under no circumstances must the EA/GSA pay the employer or any person for having
been employed.
19.1 It is the responsibility of the employers to arrange for all persons employed to be covered in
terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 130 of 1993.
19.2 The EA/GSA must report any work-related injury or occupational disease to their employer,
or manager.
19.3 The employer must report the accident or disease to the compensation commissioner.
19.4 An employer must pay the EA/GSA who is unable to work because of an injury caused by
an accident at work 75% of their earnings for up to three months or up to the last day of the
contract; whichever occurs first. The employer will be refunded this amount by the
compensation commissioner. This does not apply to injuries caused by accidents outside
the workplace such as road accidents or accidents at home
20.1 The performance of the EA/GSA shall be based on the execution of functions as stipulated
in the Job Description and the EA/GSA, by signing the Job Description, agrees to perform
all the functions as contained in the said document to the best of his/her ability.
21.2 The EA/GSA will not receive severance pay on termination of the contract.
21.3 The EA/GSA who is absent for more than five consecutive days without approval of the
employer or informing the employer will have terminated the contract.
21.4 The EA/GSA who does not attend required training planned and paid for, without good
reason, will have terminated the contract.
22. GRIEVANCE AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE
22.1 The EA/GSA shall in cases of unfair labour practice, lodge/file a grievance with the employer
against his/her fellow employees or the principal.
22.2 Grievances may include cases of harassment, bullying, discrimination and also issues
concerning treatment.
22.3 The EA/GSA should report a grievance with regards to the above firstly to his/her supervisor
or manager if it is against fellow employees, and to the employer if it is against the principal.
22.4 For record purposes, the grievance should be in writing and dealt with as speedily as
possible and the decision taken in the process must also be in writing.
22.5 If the EA/GSA feels dissatisfied with the decision of the principal or employer, he/she may
refer a dispute to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
25.1 I confirm that I have participated in and completed the compulsory online Generic
Orientation and Nation School Safety Framework (NSSF) training.
25.2 I confirm that I will participate in and complete the compulsory Online Safety and Digital
Literacy training.
25.3 Failure to attend and complete the compulsory training may result in the placement not
approved by the district.
25.4 Failure to provide proof of attendance and completion of modules for the compulsory
trainings may result in placement not being confirmed.
28. UNDERTAKING