Ahead of Teachers’ Month (October), two Cape Town school stories show how educators’ often unseen care can nurture talent, build belonging and help young people see what they are capable of
At Masiphumelele High School near Fish Hoek in Cape Town, a Life Orientation teacher helps young chess players compete at provincial level. At nearby Capella House School, teachers carry makeshift wooden platforms between classrooms so a learner who uses a wheelchair can move around the school. These everyday acts of commitment can help shape how a young person sees themselves and their place in a school community.
The two school communities have raised a combined R128,000 towards a teaching post and wheelchair access. Behind the fundraising are teachers working to give learners opportunities to develop their talents and take part in school life, even when resources or the physical environment make that difficult.
As October’s Teacher Appreciation Month and World Teachers’ Day on 5 October approach, these Southern Peninsula stories draw attention to the care that often goes unseen in a teacher’s working day. Noticing a child’s potential, making time for mentorship and finding a way around an obstacle can all influence whether a learner feels valued and able to succeed.
South Africa’s teaching workforce serves a growing school population. The Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) preliminary School Realities 2025 records 13.6 million learners and 459,906 educators across ordinary public and independent schools. Enrolment increased by almost 70,000 between 2024 and 2025, while the total educator count remained virtually unchanged.
“Teachers are often the first to notice when a learner needs extra support or when something in the school environment is preventing participation,” says Donna Shefer, CEO of GetGo Fund. “They build relationships with learners over time. Supporting that work means paying attention to the conditions in which they teach, the resources available and the continuity those relationships need.”
GetGo is an education crowdfunding platform that helps schools, learners and parents raise funds for education-related needs in a safer, more transparent and community-driven way. The Masiphumelele High and Capella House campaigns used GetGo.
At Masiphumelele High, a Quintile 3 no-fee school in Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula, the school reports a learner-to-teacher ratio of 37:1. Its campaign began in March, seeking R90,000 towards the Life Orientation teacher’s salary because no government-funded post was available for him. With support from MasiSports and contributors, the target was reached.
Through the chess club, the teacher gives learners a space to discover and develop their abilities. Masi’s young players are achieving at provincial level, competing against pupils whose schools have access to far greater resources. Their achievements offer recognition of their skill and dedication, and an opportunity to see themselves as capable competitors. Funding towards the teacher’s salary helps sustain the teaching and mentorship that support those opportunities.
National figures illustrate the role of additional school-funded posts. DBE reports 34 learners per state-paid educator in ordinary public schools, falling to 30.6 when school governing body-paid educators are included. In the Western Cape, the corresponding figures are 35.7 and 29.9. These are staffing ratios across schools, not individual class sizes.
“For a no-fee school, funding an additional teacher requires finding support without income from school fees,” says Shefer. “A contribution towards a salary can help a school sustain teaching and mentorship. It also needs a clear plan for how long that contribution will last and what further support is required.”
At Capella House, teachers attended a GetGo fundraising workshop in August to help complete a campaign for wider pathways, a moveable access ramp and a bathroom upgrade for a learner who uses a wheelchair. The R38,000 target was reached later that month. The planned improvements would ease movement around the school and reduce reliance on the wooden platforms teachers currently carry between rooms.
The learner is already part of the school’s social life as the DJ at Friday Jam sessions. A planned ramp would also provide access to the stage, creating more choice about how to take part.
Teachers’ efforts to make these spaces accessible give expression to the care and welcome that can help a child feel they belong. Being able to join classmates and share their interests is an important part of the schooling experience.
“An accessible route into a classroom should be part of a learner’s ordinary school day,” says Shefer. “Teachers are helping communities understand these needs and respond. Sustained public investment remains essential, and community contributions carry a responsibility to show where the money goes and what it achieves.”