When Are Schools Closing in South Africa
Do you want to know when are schools closing in South Africa, the Open date of the Application, or the South Africa School deadline of the College? The Universities of South Africa the management has officially announced the closing date for the academic year.
The South African Academic calendars contain the sessional dates, examination dates, matriculation dates, induction dates, resumption, closing dates, etc.
- When Are Schools Closing 2023
School Reopening Dates for All Grades 2023
South Africa School Holidays 2023
When Are Schools Opening in South Africa 2023
Revised School Calendar 2023
Are Schools Opening Tomorrow in South Africa
School Closing Dates 2023
School Terms 2023
School Calendar 2023
School Calendar 2023
South African Academic Calendar 2023/2024
- Visit the school website to see the full list of the South African Academic Calendar.
Note: The academic calendars are otherwise called ‘sessional dates’, and it normally runs for the whole semester as approved by the school authority.
Current South African Academic Calendar
2023
2024
2025
2023
The Department of Basic Education published the school calendar for 2023 on 28 May.
Inland cluster: Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | The actual number of school days |
1 | (10) 12 Jan – 17 Mar | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
2 | 5 Apr – 24 Jun | 12 | 59 | 5+1 | 53 |
3 | 19 Jul – 30 Sept | 11 | 54 | 1+1 | 52 |
4 | 11 Oct – 14 (15) Dec | 10 | 47 (48) | 0 | 47 (48) |
Total | 42 | 207 (210) | 6+2 | 199 (202) |
Coastal cluster: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Ntal, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (17) 19 Jan – 25 Mar | 10 | 48 (50) | 1 | 47 (49) |
2 | 5 Apr – 24 Jun | 12 | 59 | 5+1 | 53 |
3 | 19 Jul – 30 Sept | 11 | 54 | 1+1 | 52 |
4 | 11 Oct – 14 (15) Dec | 10 | 47 (48) | 0 | 47 (48) |
Total | 43 | 208 (211) | 7+2 | 199 (202) |
Public and School Holidays 2023
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
15 April: Good Friday
18 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
1 May: Workers’ Day
2 May: Public holiday (Workers’ Day observed)
16 June: Youth Day
17 June: School Holiday
8 August: School Holiday
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
27 December: Public holiday
Source: National Education Policy Act: Proposed 2023 school calendar for public schools [PDF]
For the updated regulations go to Coronavirus – Education.
25 July: Schools will be reopened on the 26th July. The Cabinet member responsible for basic education may, in direction, further announce measures related to the management and reduction of risk at schools in the basic education sector, in order to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19.
27 June: Schools will start closing on Wednesday, 30 June. Public schools will come back from the winter vacation early, on 19 July , instead of 26 July as it was originally scheduled in the School Calendar.
9 February: Latest amended school calendar [PDF]
22 January: Re-opening of schools for the Academic Year under Adjusted Alert Level 3 (Gazette 44096)
15 January update: The reopening of both public and private schools will be delayed by two weeks. This includes private schools that have reopened already. They will need to postpone their reopening to a later date.
The new dates for the reopening of private schools will vary depending on the calendar that they follow.
For public schools and private schools which follow the same calendar, changes are as follows:
- School Management Teams (SMTs) shall report for duty on Monday, 25 January ;
- Teachers shall follow on Monday, 01 February; and
- Lastly, learners return on Monday, 15 February.
The Department of Basic Education gazetted the updated school calendar on 16 February (Gazette 44162)
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (25 Jan) (01) 15 Feb – 23 Apr | (13) (12) 10 | (65) (60) 50 | 3 | (62) (57) 47 |
2 | 3 May – 9 Jul | 10 | 50 | 1 | 49 |
3 | 26 Jul – 01 Oct | 10 | 50 | 2 | 48 |
4 | 11 Oct – 15 (15) Dec | 10 | 48 (48) | 0 | 48 (48) |
Total | (43) (42) 40 | (213) (208) 198 | 6 | (207) (202) 192 |
SA Public and School Holidays
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
22 March: Public Holiday
02 April: Good Friday
05 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
26 April: School Holiday
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
1 November: Local government elections
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
27 December: Public holiday source: National Education Policy Act: school calendar for public schools [PDF]
2023
The Department of Basic Education published the school calendar for 2023 on 18 March 2023.
Inland cluster: Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (09) 11 Jan – 24 Mar | 11 | 53(55) | 1+1 | 51 (53) |
2 | 12 Apr – 23 Jun | 11 | 53 | 3+1 | 49 |
3 | 18 Jul – 29 Sept | 11 | 54 | 2 | 52 |
4 | 10 Oct – 13 (15) Dec | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
Total | 43 | 207 (211) | 6+2 | 199 (203) |
Coastal cluster: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (16) 18 Jan – 31 Mar | 11 | 53(55) | 1+1 | 51(53) |
2 | 12 Apr – 23 Jun | 11 | 53 | 3+1 | 49 |
3 | 18 Jul – 29 Sept | 11 | 54 | 2 | 52 |
4 | 10 Oct – 13 (15) Dec | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
Total | 43 | 207 (211) | 6+2 | 199 (203) |
Public and School Holidays 2023
1 January: New Year’s Day
2 January: Public holiday
20 March: Special school holiday
21 March: Human Rights Day
7 April: Good Friday
10 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
28 April: Special school holiday
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
25 September: Public holiday
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of GoodwillSource: National Education Policy Act: 2023 school calendar for public schools [PDF]
2024
The Department of Basic Education published the school calendar for 2024 on 4 August 2023.
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (15) 17 Jan – 20 Mar | 10 | 46 (48) | 0 | 46 (48) |
2 | 3 Apr – 14 Jun | 11 | 53 | 1+0 | 52 |
3 | 9 Jul – 20 Sept | 11 | 54 | 1+0 | 53 |
4 | 1 Oct – 11 (13) Dec | 11 | 52 (54) | 0 | 52 (54) |
Total | 43 | 205 (209) | 2+0 | 203 (207) |
South Africa Public and School Holidays 2024
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
29 March: Good Friday
1 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
17 June: Public holiday
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
Source: National Education Policy Act: 2024 school calendar for public schools [PDF]
The Department of Basic Education published the draft school calendar for 2025 on 4 August 2023.
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | The actual number of school days |
1 | (13) 15 Jan – 28 Mar | 11 | 53 (55) | 1 | 52 (54) |
2 | 8 Apr – 27 Jun | 12 | 59 | 4+3 | 52 |
3 | 22 Jul – 3 Oct | 11 | 54 | 1 | 53 |
4 | 13 Oct – 10 (12) Dec | 9 | 43 (45) | 0 | 43 (45) |
Total | 43 | 209 (213) | 6+3 | 200 (204) |
Public and School Holidays 2025
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
18 April: Good Friday
21 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
28 April: Freedom Day observed
29 April: Special school holiday
30 April: Special school holiday
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
Source: National Education Policy Act: Draft 2025 school calendar for public schools [PDF]