The school holiday schedule in South Africa has just been published and changes made to all provinces as well as the November holiday.
South Africa 2025 School Calendar Review
– The academic year consists of 4 terms which are separated with planned intervals. The period normally starts mid January and finishes early to mid December.
– provincial variance in the case of public schools is small with the majority of the provinces following the national schedule as announced by Department of Basic Education.
Dates of Provincial Calendar and Terms
| Term | Duration | Weeks | School Days | Notable Public Holidays During Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Jan 15 – Mar 28 | 11 | 52–54 | Human Rights Day (Mar 21) |
| Term 2 | Apr 8 – Jun 27 | 12 | 51 | Easter (Apr 18–21), Freedom Day (Apr 27–28), Workers’ Day (May 1), Youth Day (Jun 16) |
| Term 3 | Jul 22 – Oct 3 | 11 | 53 | Heritage Day (Sep 24) |
| Term 4 | Oct 13 – Dec 10 or 12 | 9 | 43–45 | None |
November Break Updates 2025
– October and early December comprise the fourth term, and the public school calendar does not have any separate official November break.
– Nonetheless, a national holiday on any of the public holidays in November (no such national holidays) or exam timetable can lead to some unofficial shorter breaks or half-days.
– Schools can plan their internal tests or studying blocks in November.
Other notes on Holidays and Public Holidays.
– Tuesdays and Thursdays that are public holidays can provoke other school holidays on Monday or Friday.
There is some variation in that special school holidays can be proclaimed by provinces, and thus on cultural or local occasions.
Independent and Private Schools
– In South Africa, the term dates and holiday schedules in both the private and international schools tend to be different.
– Some use three words instead of 4 words, and varying rests, but mostly they coincide with major state holidays.
Major Public Holidays that will affect School Calendar 2025
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| March 21 | Human Rights Day |
| April 18-21 | Easter (Good Friday, Family Day) |
| April 27-28 | Freedom Day and Observance |
| May 1 | Workers’ Day |
| June 16 | Youth Day |
| September 24 | Heritage Day |
| December 16 | Day of Reconciliation |
| December 25-26 | Christmas & Day of Goodwill |
FAQs
Q1: Does 2025 have an official November school holiday?
There is no official nationwide November vacation, school continues all through November except on the weekends and any local days.
Q2: What is the start and end date of school in South Africa?
Typically mid-January to early/mid-December.
Q3: Is the school calendar similar in all the provinces?
Most of the public schools are based on the national calendar provided by the Department of Basic Education with slight provincial differences.
