- Cape Town teacher Charnelle Arendse has given her all to Hanover Park, and has now been named one of 50 finalists for the 2026 GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize from more than 5 000 applicants worldwide.
- Arendse, who teaches Grade 7 at Belmor Primary School, places pupil wellbeing at the centre of her teaching through smart initiatives like #IWishMyTeacherKnew and The Care Closet.
- Born and raised in the area, Arendse said she was inspired by her mother’s 40-year teaching career, and has turned down other opportunities because her “heart beats for her Hanover Park”.
“I teach them to count. But I also teach them what counts.”
These are the words of Cape Town teacher Charnelle Arendse, as she steps into her classroom at Belmor Primary School in Hanover Park and begins lessons with her Grade 7 pupils.
Her approach to teaching has earned her multiple accolades, the latest of which took her to Dubai as one of 50 finalists for the 2026 GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize.
Selected from more than 5 000 applications worldwide, Arendse was celebrated for her innovative classroom practices and high-impact community programmes.
But the true reward for Arendse is in her classroom, where she works to change the lives of children who are growing up in a suburb that’s known for gang violence.
“I grew up in this area right across the road from the school. I’ve had many other job offers and opportunities to be seconded, but my heart beats for Hanover Park because I know I’m making a difference here with my learners and in my community,” she said.
Arendse, who teaches Grade 7 at Belmor Primary in Hanover Park, places pupil wellbeing at the centre of her teaching through inclusive classroom practices.
“Hanover Park is an area that is a bit of a mixed masala of things. There are so many good people in Hanover Park, but you cannot deny the gaping, harsh, and harrowing realities of growing up here. It’s an area characterised by gangsterism, poverty, and so many socio-economic challenges. A school and a community cannot be divorced from one another.”
The understanding that many of her pupils are coming to school with their “little suitcases” of trauma is the starting point for her teaching, with pupil wellbeing as the foundation of academic lessons. She intentionally fosters belonging through personalised desk name cards, heart-shaped photo walls, themed emotional-wellbeing days, and a unique #IWishMyTeacherKnew anonymous communication box.
“Every lesson is a life orientation lesson. I’ve been focusing a lot on their wellness. I’ll have, for instance, a Make a Change Monday, where we’ll come up with some fun activities about how we’re going to make a change. I also try to create a classroom culture of reading. I love fostering that love of reading because, if they say that there’s a problem, then education is always the answer,” she says.
Among her many projects at the school are:
- The Care Closet – a space where children in need can choose beautiful clothing at no cost.
- Sow-a-Sandwich – a project that provides sandwiches accompanied by inspirational quotes to uplift those facing hardship.
- Sanitary Savvy – a programme ensuring girls have access to essential sanitary products.
“The impact is in the fact that my learners have become responsible citizens. They also want to make a difference. It’s not only about me wanting to make a difference; it’s also about who they are. They adopt that attitude of wanting to help people, wanting to do something in the area that’s positive,” she said.
The desire to make a difference was instilled by Arendse’s mother, who was also a teacher.
“I wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl. My mom was a teacher for 40 years, and wherever we would go, whether it be to the beach or to the mall, her learners would always stop her and thank her. They would say she made a difference in their lives, and many of them said she changed their lives. I wanted to follow in my mom’s footsteps and make a difference too,” she said.
Her success is evident in the long list of awards that hang on her wall. Her accolades include the National Teaching Award for Excellence in Primary School Teaching (Provincial Winner & National Finalist in 2015; Provincial Winner & National Runner-Up in 2022); the National Ministerial Award for Teaching (2025); Teach the Nation Leadership Award (2022); Provincial Life Orientation Award – Lead Teacher (2024); multiple community awards; and recognition from the City of Cape Town.
“I come from Hanover Park. [The awards are] a true testimony that you can do anything. It doesn’t matter where you come from; you can excel no matter your circumstances,” she said.
“It’s a big celebration when someone is putting Hanover Park in a good light and bringing hope to Hanover Park, amidst everything that we face.”
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