2025 school calendar includes three ‘special holidays’

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has released the proposed school calendar dates for 2025. Learners will start Term 1 on 15 January and will complete Term 4 on 12 December. 

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the key dates and important information to help you stay ahead of the game.

2025 school calendar: Public schools

The proposed calendar for public schools features 27 standard school holidays, which is an increase from the 25 holidays in 2024.

Despite this increase, the total number of school holidays is still fewer than in previous years.

The Department of Basic Education, however, has introduced three additional holidays, thanks to 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.

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. This resulted in the Department of Basic Education and relevant stakeholders writing off the whole week by signing off Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday as special school holidays.

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Key dates for public schools

TERM 1:

• 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)
• 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
• 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)
• 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
• Public holidays: Day of Reconciliation (16 December 2025), Christmas Day (25 December 2025), Day of Goodwill (26 December 2025)

2025 school calendar: IEB schools

IEB schools in South Africa may follow different calendars. While many align with the public school schedule, others adhere to specific association calendars or their own tailored schedules.

The ISASA Central Region Calendar provides a guideline for schools in Gauteng, Free State, North West, and Northern Cape, but its adoption is not mandatory.

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)
• Term 4: 13 October to 10 December (9 weeks, 43 days)

The 2025 school year also marks the deadline for the recently re-gazetted regulations that require all schools in the country to meet minimum energy, sanitation, and infrastructure standards – or include them in their active plans – within the next year.

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