Due to budget constraints, the Sector is unable to employ social workers per school. Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) employ a limited number of social workers, psychologists and school counsellors per District to respond to the social, emotional, and psychological barriers to learning, which may impact learner performance, achievement and retention. In addition, the PEDs employ learner support agents (LSAs) in selected schools to facilitate access to services. The Department provides capacity building on psychosocial support to the LSAs, in order to strengthen support to learners.