All your new school calendar questions answered

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement to close schools for four weeks, the department of education has announced a revised school calendar for 2020.

In his address, Ramaphosa stated that “as a result of the disruptions caused by the pandemic, the current academic year will be extended beyond the end of 2020”. This was a clear indication that the calendar will be greatly affected.

Also Read: So, schools are closing. What now?

So, what does this mean for parents?

When are schools reopening this year?

Schools will reopen on 24 August for children in Grades R to 11, except Grade 7s who will be on break for 2 weeks. Grade 12s are already back in school from today as their break was only for a week.

When is the 4th term break?

According to the department of basic education, “a break in school will be needed to separate the third and the fourth terms”. This will happen on 26-30 October. This break is usually a little over a week, but will now be four days only.

When will schools close for the December holidays?

For children in Grades R to 11, schools will be closing on 15 December, and the 2020 academic year will not be carried over into 2021. Before the lockdown, schools were meant to close on 2 December for students and 4 December for teachers.

When will matric exams be finished and when will the results be out?

The class of 2020 will be done with examinations when schools close on 15 December 2020. According to the department’s statement, marking will be completed by 22 January 2021, and the results will be released on 23 January 2021.

When will the new school year commence?

The 2021 academic year will commence on 25 January 2021.

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