The Department of Public Works to train 3500 EPWP participants in basic financial literacy
In a bid to assist and encourage Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants to use their hard earned wages wisely, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will from the beginning of June 2018, restart the work of training participants in basic financial literacy.
The department plans to train over 3 500 participants in Basic Financial Literacy skills course during the 2018/19 financial year. The department started training participants in this course in 2016 already, and has since then trained a total of 12 500 participants throughout the country.
The Deputy Director General (DDG) for EPWP in the Department of Public Works, Mr Stanley Henderson, said the training will provide participants with vital information regarding their personal financial decisions. "The training will empower the participants to make prudent financial decisions with their hard earned wages."
To prepare for the training of the participants, the DPW officials in the EPWP Branch have themselves recently attended a workshop at the head office of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in Pretoria, where they were trained in this particular course.
The Deputy Director for EPWP Training Mr Reuben Komane explained that the training will be rolled out through the country.
"The training will help participants to develop personal financial skills such as how to save a bit of money from their wages as well as how to develop their personal monthly budgets. We believe that these skills are vital in assisting our participants to effectively manage their monthly wages."
The FSCA's guest facilitator at the staff workshop Ms Phumla Trolly explained to the officials (who are attending the workshop) that the course is vital because it will also provide participants with information regarding their consumer rights as enshrined in the National Credit Act.
Brief Background of the EPWP
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one of Government’s medium to long term strategies to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty through the creation of work opportunities using labour-intensive methods. The EPWP is implemented in four sectors namely: Infrastructure, Social, Environment & Culture and Non-State. All spheres of government and State-Owned Entities are expected to implement the Programme.
The EPWP Participants (beneficiaries) work in different projects such as Community Work Programme (CWP), Early Childhood Development Programmes, Home Community Based Care Programmes, Extra School Support Programmes, Working on Fire, Working for Water, Roads Maintenance Projects, etc.
Through various skills and training that the participants receive from the EPWP, they (participants) stand a better chance to enter the formal job market and/or become entrepreneurs.
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