The Republic of South Africa represented by the National Treasury and the European Commission, signed a Financing agreement on 19 July 2018 establishing a sector budget support programme called Education for Employability (E4E). E4E is a cross sector programme (education and employment) focusing on institutional collaboration and coordination between three national government departments [Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Department of Employment and Labour (DoL)]; civil society stakeholders; and associated policies and systems. The implementing agents are the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).The programme is expected to support government’s efforts in improving the quality of basic education, vocational training and job placement services from early childhood, through teenage years until the acquisition of skills needed for the world-of-work. The Contractor is expected to propose a Technical Assistance Programme that will include, but not be limited to the following essential features of the E4E programme:
Support to the budget support Component:
Support to the Grant Component
Communication and Visibility
Programme Management
The day-to-day monitoring of implementation will form part of the implementing partners’ responsibilities who, with support from the Technical Assistance Team, shall establish a permanent internal, technical and financial monitoring system for the E4E programme and elaborate regular progress reports that will provide lessons learnt to influence policy development/implementation in the four result areas.
Having regard for the nature of the E4E as a budget support programme, a mid-term and final evaluation will be carried out for the programme or its components via independent consultants contracted by the Commission. The Technical Assistance team is expected to support the implementing government departments and ensure efficient and effective collaboration with the evaluation experts, and inter alia provide them with all necessary information and documentation, as well as access to premises and activities.
