Teaching at Primary School

location
4 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and way of life of South Africa, creating unforgettable experiences
  • Contribute to the education system of South Africa and make a positive impact on the lives of students
  • Explore the breathtaking coastal beauty of Cape Town, with its stunning beaches and mesmerizing landscapes

Highlights

  • Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and way of life of South Africa, creating unforgettable experiences
  • Contribute to the education system of South Africa and make a positive impact on the lives of students
  • Explore the breathtaking coastal beauty of Cape Town, with its stunning beaches and mesmerizing landscapes
  • Forge lasting friendships with like-minded individuals who share your passion for making a difference
  • Discover the vibrant city of Cape Town and indulge in its numerous tourist attractions and exciting activities


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Volunteer with children aged 6-13 years (Grade R - 7) as a teacher's assistant at a primary school in Cape Town. Make your travel to South Africa meaningful!

    About the Program

    All children have to attend a school and more schools serving poor communities have been built. However, the quality of education for the poorest South Africans largely remains sub-par. Material shortages exist, and the influx of rural migrants into cities like Cape Town has brought ...

    About the program

    About the Program

    All children have to attend a school and more schools serving poor communities have been built. However, the quality of education for the poorest South Africans largely remains sub-par. Material shortages exist, and the influx of rural migrants into cities like Cape Town has brought overcrowding. Additionally, many children come from homes with problems like abuse, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy and unemployment. These translate into poor student attendance, behavioral problems and undernourished children that cannot concentrate in class. Volunteers bring energy and new backgrounds into the classroom. They help local teachers maintain classroom order and provide more individualized attention to students, especially those falling behind. They share their culture and skills, and help expose the children to new ideas. Volunteers live and work in Cape Town or the surrounding areas. 

    Structure and Facilities 

    • Vary according to location, resources and level of trained staff 
    • Overcrowded classrooms (40+ learners per class) 
    • Need for additional teachers and more resources 
    • Limited facilities 
    • Little or no recreational activities (e.g. sport and art) 

    The kids you will be teaching are between 6 and 13 years old.



    Typical day

    Usual working days go from 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM (Monday to Thursday) or 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Friday) and include the following activities:

    • Assisting teachers in the classroom 
    • Possibility of teaching a class with no supervision 
    • Assist the slower learners 
    • Contribute to activities like arts or sports ...

    Typical day

    Usual working days go from 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM (Monday to Thursday) or 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Friday) and include the following activities:

    • Assisting teachers in the classroom 
    • Possibility of teaching a class with no supervision 
    • Assist the slower learners 
    • Contribute to activities like arts or sports with your creativity

    ** This may vary depending on the specific school and after school programs **

    Please note: Our Primary School projects are not within walking distance, so volunteers need to use Uber taxis daily (10-15mins drive). We generally place at least 4 volunteers at the same school, so the Uber costs are split amongst the group.


    Free-time activities

    Cape Town is one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason. 

    Its beaches, such as Camp’s Bay, are world renown, and Cape Town’s beachfront and downtown areas are lively at any time. During the day it is easy to find artisans selling their crafts or outdoor cafes to enjoy the ...

    Free-time activities

    Cape Town is one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason. 

    Its beaches, such as Camp’s Bay, are world renown, and Cape Town’s beachfront and downtown areas are lively at any time. During the day it is easy to find artisans selling their crafts or outdoor cafes to enjoy the Mediterranean climate. At night, there are many excellent bars, clubs and restaurants where locals and foreigners can relax and socialize.
    There are numerous cultural sites to visit, including the Bo-Kaap neighborhood and the Castle of Good Hope. They reflect Cape Town’s long history and help explain why the city is one of the most multicultural in the word. 

    Robben Island, the infamous prison where political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were held during apartheid is a difficult but necessary stop. For outdoor lovers, Cape Town has a wide mix of opportunities. 

    Table Mountain is a breathtaking spot to visit, and there are many nearby hills, mountains and trails that make for great biking, climbing and hiking. Many, like Lion’s Head Mountain, also offer stunning views over the city and ocean below. 

    Join in on tours down the Garden Route and a Game Drive to spot the Big 5!


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (fluently)

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    CV and Police Clearance

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    Enjoy working with children. A basic understanding of local primary schools and the challenges faced within the educational system in South Africa.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 14:30

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Stay Africa Volunteers

    Program fee includes: 

    • Placement in a suitable project and volunteer house 
    • Local SIM card on arrival at the house 
    • Transfer from the airport to the STAY AFRICA house 
    • Transfer to STAY AFRICA office for Orientation 
    • Orientation program, including welcome session and Orientation Session 
    • Accommodation at volunteer house 
    • Bookings for tours and activities

    At additional cost: Access to email, internet and mail holding facility at the STAY AFRICA House; Transportation from the accommodation to the project site and return


    Airport Pickup at Cape Town International Airport

    Volunteers will be collected at Cape Town International Airport on the Set Arrival Date. A representative from our partner transport company, Backpacker Bus, will have a signboard with STAY AFRICA VOLUNTEERS (and/or your name) on it to meet you. If you are unable to see anyone, please make your way to the information desk in the main terminal as the driver will page for you.

    Accommodation

    The Stay Africa volunteer house boasts the following features: 

    - Accommodate up to 40 volunteers at a time (11 dorm-style rooms sleeping between 4-8 people) - On-site, live-in house Manager - 2 Fully-equipped Kitchens (stove, microwave, toaster, kettle, fridge, etc.) - 2 Communal Lounge Areas with satellite TV (numerous sport, movie & music channels) - Fully-fitted bathrooms with a total of 7 showers and 8 toilets - Individual lockers for each volunteer (bring your own padlock) - Bedding is included as well as linen which are all provided during your stay on the programme, however, you need to bring your own towels and toiletries. - Uncapped high-speed Wi-Fi in the house - Located centrally on transport route close to supermarkets, Internet Café, Laundrettes, restaurants, etc. - Self-service Breakfast served at the house every morning (Monday – Friday: 06h00 – 08h30) – consists of cereals, bread/toast with various toppings, coffee/tea, variety of fruits. - Lunch, Dinner and weekend meals excluded - Kindly note that should you have any special dietary requirements, i.e. gluten-free, lactose intolerant, etc. you have to be prepared to financially cater for this.


    The Area

    Observatory, or “Obs” as the locals call it, is Cape Town’s most bohemian suburb and lies about 15mins (drive) east of the city centre. Located just 2km from the University of Cape Town, this student town is a vibrant, multi-cultural community that attracts young travelers from all over the globe, all year round. Our volunteer house is a 10min walk from Lower Main Road - the main entertainment area and heartbeat of Obs. You’ll find quirky restaurants, easy going bars, live music (everything from Reggae and Afro-jazz to Contemporary) and tons of cozy little coffee shops and cafés. During the Apartheid era, Observatory was one of the few “grey” suburbs – areas where people of mixed race, religion and cultures were allowed to live together. This spirit has lived on and has resulted in a suburb unique in its diversity. Our volunteers will definitely love the sights and sounds of Obs. Within a 5km radius of Obs, you’ll find the Newlands rugby and cricket stadiums, various shopping centers, museums, art galleries and stage theatres, hiking trails and of course The Old Biscuit Mill - this vibrant spot is home to night and day markets, designer stores, delicious farmstalls, decadent cafes as well as an awesome line-up of festivals and events.

    Food & Beverages

    Breakfast is provided on weekdays (Monday to Friday only). Lunch, Dinner and weekend meals are the volunteer's expense. 

    Breakfast is self-service and includes coffee, tea with bread/toast, eggs, at least 2 cereal types, and a selection of fresh seasonal fruits. 

    The volunteer house is located within walking distance of numerous restaurants (everything from steak houses and burger joints, to Sushi/Asian cuisine) and small corner cafes and coffee shops (for light meals), as well as well-known fast food outlets (KFC, McDonalds, Nandos, Burger King, Pizza Hut, etc.). Uber Eats offers a delivery service for most of these. Many Vegetarian, Vegan and Halal options are available both at restaurants and supermarkets. 

    Volunteers also often buy groceries from the nearby supermarket and have home-cooked meals together in groups - great bonding experiences and often loads of fun!! Just try not to burn down our kitchens!!  

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. We assist you to find cheap flights to South Africa. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for South Africa provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in South Africa you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for South Africa. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    The Volunteer South Africa Program begins on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday - you are therefore welcome to arrive on any Sunday, throughout the year. You will have an Orientation day on the Monday, and start at your project on the Tuesday.

    Please note that things do get very quiet at primary school during the last 2 weeks of the term, with fewer learners attending - you are welcome to change to a kindergarten project during this time. All primary school volunteers will be placed at a childcare/kindergarten project during school holidays. Should you wish to take this period off, to do some tours, explore the city, or just relax at the house, you are more than welcome to do so - these weeks will still count as official program weeks.

    School Terms for 2025:

    Term 1:                15 January – 28 March

    Term 2:                08 April – 27 June

    Term 3:                22 July – 03 October

    Term 4:                13 October – 12 December  

    We understand that flights may be expensive and you may not always be able to secure a flight to arrive on set arrival dates, we are therefore happy to accommodate last minute bookings even participants who are only able to arrive on a day where they are able to secure an affordable flight.


    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    4 weeks (min. stay) 824€
    5 weeks 1,001€
    6 weeks 1,177€
    7 weeks 1,354€
    8 weeks 1,530€
    9 weeks 1,707€
    10 weeks 1,795€
    11 weeks 1,844€
    12 weeks (max. stay) 1,940€
    Average fees 184€/week

    Program fees

    184€ per week 4 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    4 - 12 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Stay Africa Volunteers during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Stay Africa Volunteers

    Excellent 4.8 rating (190 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 1972

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Kevin

    Spoken languages: English

    About the project

    Stay Africa is a non-profit organization providing high quality, affordable Volunteer programs in Cape Town.

    Meet your organization

    History

    STAY AFRICA (previously known as SASTS Working Adventures) was set up in 1972 to provide affordable travel opportunities for South African students. It was the travel division of NUSAS, the National Union of South African Students, whose activities took root in the days of Apartheid. STAY AFRICA has played an integral role in facilitating student and youth travel for over 40 years and is well equipped to help students realize their travel dreams. Working with reputable and internationally recognized partners and being members of international associations. STAY AFRICA programs are run in accordance with guidelines put in place by these international organisations. Over the past 11 years, STAY AFRICA has branched out to include exciting opportunities for foreign travelers to experience South Africa by implementing Work South Africa, Volunteer South Africa, Groups and High School South Africa. 

    Volunteer Programs

    There are a vast number of interesting volunteer projects available and most of them are in the local communities surrounding and in the beautiful city of Cape Town. Volunteers can make a valuable contribution in many different facets of childcare, teaching, social, environment and medical placements in and around Cape Town. Whilst on the STAY AFRICA volunteer program, participants will stay with local host families and eat the local meals prepared by the family. They also have the option of staying in the City in a Volunteer House and eat in a local restaurant as well as use local minibus transport to their volunteer project. As a not for profit organisation run by staff of the local communities, we have extensive knowledge of the various communities of Cape Town and South Africa which enables us to offer first hand experience and advice of volunteering in the local communities. STAY AFRICA will provide a real insight into Cape Town’s culture, history, landscape through orientation and local community placement and provide the opportunity for genuine interaction with the local people.

    STAY AFRICA's aim is to offer quality, affordable volunteering experiences and the opportunity to be immersed in a local culture for clients interested in discovering Cape Town. As a non-profit organisation, STAY AFRICA is dedicated to providing young people, from all over the world, the opportunity to come to South Africa and experience our cultures and people. 

    Respect for the locals, their cultures, religion and environment are essential to operate a successful volunteer program. All our Volunteers placed in the local community have to abide by our Code of Conduct by respecting the local culture.  

    Volunteers also have the opportunity to explore the scenic beauty of South Africa whereby we offer tours of Cape Town and Western Cape. Local guides and agencies are used with the understanding to offer a true cultural experience. 

    Community Development 

    STAY AFRICA works very closely with the local communities of Cape Town, to provide sustainable on-going partnerships. As a not for profit organisation, the program costs goes toward running of the program. Subject to available funding, STAY AFRICA assists community projects with donations to assist with various programs such as feeding scheme, a laptop was donated to a Daycare centre in the Farming community, end of year school functions, sports equipment for Schools etc. 

    Volunteers in the local community are placed with Community host families, within walking distance from their volunteer project. Host families are paid a stipend to cover meals and accommodation, thus STAY AFRICA giving back to the local communities by placement of volunteers at both project and host family.  

    All of our families we use are local host families and community projects started by the local people of the community that has identified a need within the local communities. Volunteers are placed at much needed community projects, NGO’S, public schools, Women run day care centres, Orphanages etc. All community projects are screened prior to placement of volunteers and factors such as economic responsibility, environmental, social responsibility and safety of the client are considered prior to approving local community projects for placement of our volunteers. In many cases volunteer assistance to these projects will assist the local people via ongoing placement of volunteers at both host family and projects. 


    190 reviews · rating4.8

    Belle Van Der Putten rating5

    2024 at Teaching at Primary School

    Such a great experience, both Noël and Kevin took really good care of everything. It was my first time solo travelling and I couldnt have felt more welcome!!! ...
    Celina Wiedemann rating5

    2024 at Teaching at Primary School

    I’ve been in Cape Town with StayAfrica for three months and had the most beautiful time over there 😍 everything was very well organized - I loved the work at the primary school and after school and on the weekends we had enough time to explore Cape Town and its surroundings 🌞 I can ...
    Matthew McNarry rating4.8

    2024 at Teaching at Primary School

    Very welcoming environment with a great host. Very easy to contact either the host of the hostel or the coordinator. Some of the best months of my life. ...
    Hazal Kotaman rating4.4

    2024 at Teaching at Primary School

    Cape Town is a beautiful city with even more beautiful, nice and kind people in it. I fell in love pretty quickly with the school, the teacher and her class that I was supporting. I enjoyed my time there and also my free time after school to explore the city. The hostel itself is nice, allthough ...
    Zoé Tabea Huschke rating5

    2023 at Teaching at Primary School

    I can fully recommend this trip! The project in the school is amazing, you learn a lot and it doesn’t matter if you are interested in becoming a teaching or not. The Hostel is such a nice place to life, the Hostel Manager makes you feel safe and is always there if you need anything!! Capetown is a ...
    Stijn van der Eijk rating5

    2023 at Teaching at Primary School

    Had an amazing time at the school I worked in and an amazing time in the volunteer hostel. Its clean and well managed by Noël and Jesper. Would do it again ...

    Location


    You might also be interested in

    Contact Kevin
      Very high response rate
    English

    Most volunteers ask about


    Do you have any more questions? Send a message to Kevin
    Please don't share personal contact details for your privacy

    Book with Flex Option!

    Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs within 12 months.

    Enjoy our services for dedicated volunteers!

    Enjoy a Refund Guarantee, Free Flex Option, and Emergency Assistance. Our Price-Guarantee ensures unbeatable value, and our Support Team is ready to assist.