ISASA Vacancies: What ISASA Is and How to Apply at Independent Schools

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Looking for teaching or other jobs at independent schools in Southern Africa? ISASA (the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa) runs a public Positions Vacant board where member schools advertise roles. ISASA itself does not hire school staff and does not appoint you.

This CAPS123 page explains what ISASA is and how to use the vacancies board. It is not an official ISASA publication.

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What is ISASA?

ISASA is the largest and oldest association of independent (private) schools in Southern Africa. Its origins go back to the Conference of Headmasters and Headmistresses (1929). Membership is voluntary and non-profit: schools pay a subscription and get advocacy, best-practice support and professional development.

Important: ISASA does not own or manage schools and is not a governing body for private schools. Member schools remain responsible for their own appointments.

On ISASA’s “What is ISASA?” page, the association reports more than 870 member schools and over 200,000 learners, across countries including South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zambia. ISASA’s home page has also stated over 900 member schools and more than 210,000 pupils. Treat those as ISASA’s own figures and check the live page if you need an exact number for a report.

Confirm current leadership names on isasa.org if you need them. They change over time.

What the vacancies board is for

Member schools post teaching, managerial, sport, internship and other roles on the ISASA site. Listings are filterable. Open the official board for current posts and closing dates. Caps123 does not republish vacancy lists (they go stale quickly).

Browse and apply from the live board: https://www.isasa.org/vacancies/.

ISASA is not a jobs agency or an HR desk for schools. For salary and contract details, negotiate with the employing school named in the advert.

How to find and apply (official process)

From ISASA’s Positions Vacant service page:

  1. 1. Browse Vacancies on the ISASA website: isasa.org/vacancies.
  2. 2. ISASA advertises on behalf of member schools. ISASA does not appoint school staff.
  3. 3. You do not need ISASA membership or site registration just to apply.
  4. 4. Apply to the school using the contact details in the advert. Do not send CVs to ISASA.
  5. 5. Some adverts link to an external career portal. You may need to register on that third-party site to submit.
  6. 6. For updates, ISASA suggests following @ISASAjobs on X (formerly Twitter).

Internships (SAMSTIP)

ISASA has stated it is not currently accepting additional interns under SAMSTIP. Do not treat internship adverts as an open pipeline unless a live advert says otherwise. Check the vacancies board and the Positions Vacant service page.

Practical tips for applicants

  • Read the full advert: phase, subjects, location, start date and documents required.
  • Follow the school’s instructions exactly (email, portal, or form).
  • Keep a clean PDF CV and certified copies ready; many independent schools ask for SACE, qualifications and police clearance early in the process.
  • If the link goes to Curro, SPARK or another group careers site, complete that site’s application flow. That is still an ISASA-advertised member-school post, not an ISASA job.
  • Ignore anyone asking you to pay ISASA or a middleman for a “placement”. Use the official advert contacts only.

Related links

Disclaimer

This article is an independent CAPS123 explainer for teachers and jobseekers. It is not an official ISASA, DBE or provincial education publication. Always confirm requirements, contacts and closing dates on isasa.org and in the school’s own advert before you apply.