As pressure mounts on South Africa’s education system, a targeted classroom intervention programme led by the Global Centre for Change Foundation (GCC) is working directly with teachers and learners in the Cape Flats to improve engagement and learning outcomes.
In schools across the Deep South of Cape Town, teachers are managing classrooms of up to 60 to 70 learners — conditions that significantly impact how education is delivered. Within this context, GCC has trained 106 teachers, reaching an estimated 4,500 learners through its intervention.
Rather than focusing on curriculum reform, the programme addresses how teaching happens in the classroom.
“We are not changing what is taught, we are changing how it is experienced,” says Tarryn Hallaby.
The teacher training initiative equips educators with practical strategies to better manage large classes while improving learner participation. These include shifting toward learner-centred approaches, encouraging active thinking, and creating more engaging classroom environments despite structural constraints.
GCC’s work is grounded in first-hand experience within schools, where teachers often have to prioritise control over connection just to complete lessons.
“When you are standing in a classroom with 60 to 70 learners and one teacher, the conversation about education changes very quickly,” Hallaby explains. “This is not about a lack of effort from teachers — many are doing everything they can. But the system is not designed for engagement at that scale.”
Alongside teacher training, GCC runs a youth mentorship programme targeting learners aged 16 to 18. The 12-month intervention focuses on identity, decision-making, and personal accountability, key factors in helping young people transition into employment or further education.
Currently, 22 boys are enrolled in the programme, and by year-end, GCC will have supported 59 girls and 54 boys.
Together, the dual approach aims to strengthen both sides of the classroom dynamic: giving teachers tools to improve delivery, while equipping learners with the skills needed to engage and succeed.
Early results suggest a positive shift, with participating schools reporting improved classroom atmosphere and increased learner participation.
However, GCC warns that broader systemic challenges remain.
“We are still largely using a model designed for a different era,” says Hallaby. “If learners are disengaged, it is not simply a behavioural issue – it often reflects an environment that is not designed for how they learn.”
With youth unemployment continuing to rise, questions are growing around whether current schooling models are preparing learners for life beyond the classroom.
“There is no shortage of potential in our classrooms,” Hallaby adds. “But potential requires the right environment to develop.”
GCC is now calling on educators, policymakers, and private sector partners to support scalable, practical solutions that can strengthen classroom environments within existing system constraints.
As pressure on schools intensifies, the organisation emphasises the need to move from discussion to implementation, focusing on what works in real classrooms.
