SCHOOLKIDS will get a hele extra week of holidays this year.
Two weeks after kicking off the new school year, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has confirmed the dates for the 2025 school calendar.
And the dates included a “special” holiday week, the DBE has declared three additional school holidays in the week of Freedom Day (28 April) and Workers’ Day (1 May).
With Freedom Day falling on a Monday and Workers’ Day on the Thursday later that week, the department has decided to give the laaities the entire week off.
These days fall on 29 and 30 April and 2 May
This adds up to 200 school days in 2025.
The 2025 calendar includes 27 school holidays, up from 25 in 2024, with fewer holidays than the 32 in 2023 and 33 in 2022.
The full 2025 school calendar for public schools runs as follows:
Term 1
Schools start: 15 January 2025
Schools close: 28 March 2025
Public holidays: 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: 27 June to 21 July 2025
Term 3
Schools start: 22 July 2025
Schools 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
Schools start: 13 October 2025
Schools close: 10 December 2025
Administration days: 11 to 12 December 2025