A Western Cape-based non-profit education group is steadily reshaping the conversation around affordable private schooling in South Africa, combining technology, classroom teaching and strategic partnerships to reach more learners at a fraction of traditional costs.
Apex Education, a registered Non-Profit Company (NPC), currently serves around 2 000 learners across multiple campuses, offering a blended-learning model that integrates digital platforms with in-person facilitation.
For the 2026 academic year, the group has set its annual school fee at R7 800 per learner, equivalent to R780 per month over a ten-month payment plan, positioning its offering well below most private school fee structures, as highlighted by BusinessTech.
The group’s footprint continues to expand, as Apex operates five schools across the Western Cape, including a high school in Eersterivier and primary and high school campuses in Stellenbosch and Pinelands.
The Stellenbosch and Pinelands schools are designed to reach a combined full capacity of 1 720 learners from Grade R through to Grade 12. Beyond the province, Apex has also partnered with schools in Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal.
Each campus is expected to employ about 73 staff members, spanning qualified teachers, facilitators and operational teams, a staffing model carefully calibrated to support its blended approach while remaining financially sustainable.
Apex’s journey began in 2018 with the opening of a high school in Eersterivier, established through a partnership with a no-fee public school and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
That school reached capacity in 2021, producing its first matric cohort and laying the groundwork for the group’s broader expansion.
Operating within the Western Cape’s Collaboration Schools Pilot Programme, Apex functions under a Service Level Agreement with the WCED, formalising its role as a partner to government rather than a standalone private operator.
‘The partnership between philanthropy, government and parents is what makes the model work,’ says Apex Education Head of Blended Learning Sanrie van der Westhuizen, underscoring the collaborative foundation of the initiative.
Recent years have seen significant infrastructure investment. In 2024, Apex opened its Stellenbosch campus, a project that cost R80 million to build.
The school admitted its first Grade 8 learners and will add a grade annually, with its first matric class expected in 2028.
This month marked another milestone with the opening of a Pinelands school in Cape Town, funded to the tune of R135 million through donor support.
For now, the Pinelands campus is operating from a temporary site, with construction of the permanent school scheduled to begin in February 2026.
Central to Apex’s model is its hybrid teaching approach, shaped by the realities of South Africa’s education landscape.
While its high schools operate on a fully blended learning system, primary schools maintain strong traditional teaching foundations, supported by innovative classroom practices.
‘Our high school offering operates on a fully blended learning model, while our primary school follows strong traditional teaching foundations supported by innovative classroom practices,’ Apex Education explains.
That model was refined through necessity and experimentation. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling in 2019, Apex transitioned its learners online, ensuring access to data and digital tools.
During this period, the organisation developed its own Learner Management System, which became the backbone of its online platform. By July 2020, Apex introduced alternating days of in-person and online learning, eventually launching its formal blended model in 2022.
Internal assessments have since shown that learner outcomes are comparable to those achieved in traditional classroom settings, a result that has drawn attention beyond South Africa’s borders.
Josh Zoia, who is the Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East at One World Network of Schools, says the numbers initially seemed improbable.
‘If you told me a school was educating 100 students with one teacher and two facilitators for the cost of public schooling in South Africa, I’d call you a dreamer’, he says.
‘If you said that these learners were outperforming their peers in traditional classes, I’d be even more doubtful.’
Yet, Zoia adds, the data tells a different story: ‘They are proving it’s possible.’
As Apex continues to grow, its blended-learning approach, built on affordability, partnerships and adaptability, is emerging as a case study in how alternative education models can expand access without compromising outcomes.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: Apex Education/Facebook
