Christel House South Africa (CHSA) is set to officially launch its new high school development at its Ottery campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, 22 May, marking a major milestone in the organisation’s expansion plans.
The event will bring donors, partners and education stakeholders together to celebrate the progress of the new facility, which is aimed at increasing access to quality education for underserved youth in the Western Cape.
CHSA is a non-profit, no-fee school in Ottery; it was established in 2001 to transform the lives of vulnerable children from poor communities.
Launch
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier is expected to attend the launch, which will also include the unveiling of a commissioned mosaic artwork by Sue Beattie honouring the project’s 2025 expansion donors.
Guests will also be invited on a campus tour followed by refreshments. Construction on the new high school began after the sod-turning ceremony in December 2024, with visible progress continuing throughout last year.
“Since then, construction progress has been visible throughout 2025. Access to quality education for underserved youth in the Western Cape remains limited, with an average annual shortfall of 18 000 school seats, mostly in high schools,” said school spokesperson Megan Losper.
Features
The new building will feature modern classrooms, a media centre, a Computer Applications Technology (CAT) laboratory and administrative offices.
Once completed, the new high school is expected to accommodate up to 300 additional learners by 2030, significantly expanding the organisation’s reach and impact.
Expanded facilities for the school’s Career Development and Social Services teams will also allow additional support for learners and their families.
Losper said the project had progressed smoothly overall, despite some delays caused by unpredictable weather conditions.
Construction was intentionally scheduled to begin at the start of last year, including a pause over the festive season, to reduce disruption for neighbouring residents.
School placements
The development forms part of a broader effort to address the ongoing shortage of school placements in the province, where an estimated 18 000 learners are left without school seats each year, particularly at high school level, Losper added.
The organisation thanked the surrounding community for its patience during the construction period and said a dedicated community event for neighbours is planned for June.
The launch also forms part of Christel House South Africa’s long-term growth strategy.
In addition to the new high school, the organisation plans to expand its junior school capacity and recently announced plans for a new Grade RR to Grade 12 school backed by a R100 million investment from Christel House International.
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