Job hunting in education often means scrolling Facebook groups and waiting. There is a free list that schools have used for years, and most job seekers have never opened it. The Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) publishes vacancies from its member schools online. Anyone can read it. Nobody pays to view it, and nobody pays to apply.
What ISASA is
ISASA is a club for independent schools across Southern Africa, and it is the biggest and oldest one. Independent schools are private schools. They run on school fees rather than government money. ISASA took its current shape in 1999, with roots going back to 1929. More than 900 schools in South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini and Namibia belong to it. Together they teach over 210,000 pupils.
A school must pass an inspection before it can join. ISASA checks each member school on site. Members receive more than 50 services from the association, from legal support to staff training. Well-known members include St Stithians in Johannesburg and Bishops in Cape Town. Small low-fee community schools are members too. Jobs appear across that whole range.
Who the jobs suit
The adverts cover teaching and non-teaching work. Each advert lists the post, the requirements, the closing date and the application steps. Many support and office posts ask for matric. Teaching posts need a teaching qualification plus registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
SACE keeps the official register of every teacher in South African schools. You cannot teach without it, even at a private school. First-time registration costs R200 and the yearly levy is R150. Confirm the latest fees at www.sace.org.za before you go.
New teachers should also watch SAMSTIP. That is ISASA’s maths and science teacher internship programme. It funds your studies towards a teaching degree and places you at a member school with a mentor. Search for SAMSTIP on the ISASA website.
How to open the list on your phone
You do not need a laptop. Any phone with a browser will do.
- Open Chrome. It is the round app with red, yellow, green and blue rings. Samsung Internet works the same way if that is what your phone uses.
- Tap the long white bar at the top of the screen. Your keyboard will appear.
- Type www.isasa.org and tap Go or press Enter.
- Wait for the page to load. Look for the word Vacancies at the top. If you cannot see it, tap the three small lines in the corner to open the menu.
- Tap Vacancies, then tap Vacancy Categories. The adverts are grouped by type of work.
- Tap any advert to open it. Read the requirements and how to apply. Write the closing date down straight away.
- Send your application the way the advert asks. Most schools want your CV emailed straight to the school.
Save the page for next time. Tap the three dots at the top right of Chrome, then tap the star icon. Schools post adverts all year, so check the list once a week.
Sort these out before you apply
You need a CV, an email address and a certified copy of your ID. None of these has to cost you a cent.
| What you need | Free way to get it |
|---|---|
| A CV | Build one with the free CV tools on ak035.co.za |
| An email address | Open a free Gmail account on your phone |
| Certified ID copy | Any SAPS station certifies copies free |
| Data | Free Wi-Fi at public libraries, some malls and taxi ranks |
Most public libraries offer free internet on their computers, and many have free Wi-Fi. Ask the librarian for help if you have never used a library computer. Helping with that is part of their job.
Where money is and is not involved
Reading the list costs nothing. Applying costs nothing. The Employment Services Act makes it illegal to charge a work seeker a fee for finding work. If anyone asks you for a placement fee or registration money, walk away and report them to the Department of Employment and Labour.
Two small costs can still come up. SACE registration is R200 the first time and R150 a year, and it only applies if you want to teach. Printing a CV at an internet café costs a few rand a page if a school asks for a paper copy. Most schools accept email.
Your checklist
Work through this list, and you will have applications out this week:
- Find free Wi-Fi. Try your nearest public library first.
- Open www.isasa.org on your phone. Tap Vacancies, then Vacancy Categories.
- Choose three adverts that match your skills. Write down each closing date.
- Build a free CV at ak035.co.za.
- Open a free Gmail address if you do not have one.
- Get your ID certified free at a SAPS station.
- Register with SACE if you want to teach.
- Email your applications before each closing date.
- Check the ISASA list again next week.
Share this
Send this post to one person who is hunting for school work. WhatsApp it to your family group. Sharing costs nothing and it might end someone’s job search.
AK035.co.za has free CV tools, free career guidance tools and free job searching resources for South Africans. No fees. No gimmicks. Just what you need, in plain language.
References
- Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (2025) Vacancies. Available at: https://www.isasa.org/vacancies/vacancy-categories/ (Accessed: 12 June 2025).
- Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (2025) About ISASA. Available at: https://www.isasa.org/ (Accessed: 12 June 2025).
- Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (2025) SAMSTIP. Available at: https://www.isasa.org/samstip/ (Accessed: 12 June 2025).
- South African Council for Educators (2025) Educator registration. Available at: https://www.sace.org.za/ (Accessed: 12 June 2025).
- South African Government (2014) Employment Services Act 4 of 2014. Available at: https://www.gov.za/documents/employment-services-act (Accessed: 12 June 2025).
- South African Government (2025) Public libraries. Available at: https://www.gov.za/services/public-libraries (Accessed: 12 June 2025).