2025 school calendar: End of first term, Easter break and ‘special holiday week’ in April, May

The department of basic education (DBE) has declared three additional school holidays on the 2025 school calendar which translates into a whole week being “written off” in April and May for public schools.

Although the 27 holidays on this year’s calendar shows an increase from 2024’s 25 thanks to this welcome bonus holiday week, the holidays are still fewer than the 32 in 2023 and 33 in 2022.

This year, the department has introduced these  three additional school holidays in line with the Public Holidays Act of 1994, which mandates that if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will also be a holiday.

2025 school holidays: When does term 1 end?

With the first-term school holidays running from 29 March to 7 April, this means that just two weeks after the end of 2025’s first school break, three additional “holidays” have been declared.

‘Special school holiday week’: How does it work?

These special holidays will fall on the following dates:

• Tuesday, 29 April, 2025;
• Wednesday, 30 April, 2025; and
• Friday, 2 May, 2025.

In the same week, Worker’s Day falls on Thursday, 1 May, 2025 which resulted in the DBE and relevant stakeholders signing off Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday as special school holidays.

The special holiday week will therefore run from Monday, April 28 (public holiday for Sunday, 27 April’s Freedom Day) to Friday, 2 May (with Workers’ Day being on Thursday, 1 May).

When is Easter Weekend?

Another welcome “mini-break” in second term, falls over the Easter Weekend which runs from Friday, 18 April to Tuesday 21 April this year.

Clever holiday hack

Easter, Freedom Day, and Workers’ Day provide the perfect opportunity for an extended break.

Score a 17-day break by taking only seven days off from Tuesday, 22 April, to Friday, 25 April, and again from Tuesday, 29 April to Friday, 2 May.

Key school calendar dates for public schools

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the key dates on the 2025 school calendar to help parents stay ahead of the game.

1st TERM:

• Schools start: 15 January, 2025;
• Schools close: 28 March, 2025;
• Public holidays: New Year’s Day (1 January 2025), Human Rights Day (21 March 2025); and
• School holidays: 29 March to 7 April 2025.

TERM 2:

• Schools start: 8 April, 2025;
• Schools close: 17 June, 2025;
• Public holidays: Good Friday (18 April. 2025), Family Day (21 April, 2025), Freedom Day (27 April, 2025), Workers’ Day (1 May, 2025), Youth Day (16 June, 2025);
• Special school holidays: 29 April to 2 May, 2025; and
• School holidays: 18 June to 8 July, 2025.

TERM 3:

• School start: 22 July, 2025;
• School close: 3 October, 2025;
• Public holidays: National Women’s Day (9 August, 2025), Heritage Day (24 September, 2025); and
• School holidays: 6 to 10 October, 2025.

TERM 4:

• School start: 13 October, 2025;
• School close: 10 December, 2025;
• Administration days: 11 to 12 December, 2025; and
• Public holidays: Day of Reconciliation (16 December, 2025), Christmas Day (25 December, 2025), Day of Goodwill (26 December, 2025).

The academic year in a nutshell

Here’s a quick summary of the proposed school calendar dates:

• Term 1: 15 January to 28 March (11 weeks, 53 days, 1 public holiday);
• Term 2: 8 April to 17 June (12 weeks, 59 days, 7 public holidays);
• Term 3: 22 July to 3 October (11 weeks, 54 days, 1 public holiday); and
• Term 4: 13 October to 10 December (9 weeks, 43 days).

NOW READ: 2025 school calendar and curriculum: Term dates, new subjects and ‘special holidays’