School holidays in South Africa 2025,2026 (State and Independent Schools)

In this publication, ALYO.info will consider the following topic: school holidays in South Africa 2025 and 2026. We will tell you when school holidays in South Africa begin and end in state and independent schools. We will also provide dates for holidays and additional non-school days when schools are closed.

What You Need to Know About the School Year in South Africa

South African schools are divided into two types: state and independent. The school schedule for state schools is set by the National Department of Basic Education. The school schedule for independent schools is not officially regulated.

There is the Association of Independent Schools of South Africa. This organisation issues guidelines for the school year. These are not mandatory, but most independent schools follow them. The association issues guidelines for the Central Region, which includes:

  • Gauteng Province.
  • Free State Province.
  • North-West Province.
  • Northern Cape Province.

In addition to school holidays, children in South Africa have holidays on public South African holidays. In some cases, additional school holidays are introduced. These are usually 1-2 days during which schools are closed. These days are bridges and are introduced to connect a public holiday with a Saturday or Sunday. Here is an example:

In 2023, Freedom Day fell on a Thursday. So Friday 28 April was declared a special school holiday. This gave South African schoolchildren 5 consecutive days off, from Thursday 27 April to Monday 1 May inclusive.

School holidays in South Africa are usually scheduled so that most holidays fall on them. If a holiday falls on a non-working day, it is moved to the next working day. For example: in 2025, Freedom Day falls on a Sunday. Accordingly, on Monday, April 28, all schools are closed. We also indicated such days in this publication.

South Africa School Holidays 2025

In this section we have provided school holidays holidays in South Africa 2025. All dates are current, published on the website of the Association of Independent Schools of South Africa and in the State Gazette.

Inland and Coastal Cluster Public Schools

  • Summer holidays 2024-2025: from 11 (13 for teachers) December 2024 to 14 (12 for teachers) January 2025.
  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays 2025): from March 29 to April 7, 2025.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays 2025): from June 28 to July 21, 2025.
  • 3rd quarter holidays (spring break 2025): from October 4 to October 12, 2025.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2025-2026): from 11 (13 for teachers) December 2025.

Public holidays and non-school days in public schools 2025

  1. March 21 is Human Rights Day.
  2. April 18 – Good Friday.
  3. April 21 is Family Day.
  4. April 27 is Freedom Day.
  5. April 28 is Freedom Day.
  6. April 29 – Special school holiday.
  7. April 30th – Special school holiday.
  8. May 1st is Labor Day.
  9. May 2nd – Special school holiday.
  10. June 16 – Youth Day.
  11. August 9 is National Women’s Day.
  12. September 24 is Heritage Day.

Independent schools of the central region (4 terms per year)

School holidays 2025 in independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays): from March 21 to April 7, 2025.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays): from June 28 to July 21, 2025.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: (spring break): from September 27 to October 13, 2025.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2025-2026): from December 4, 2025.

Schools are closed on the following holidays:

  1. Friday, April 18 (Good Friday).
  2. Monday, April 21 (Family Day).
  3. Monday, April 28 (Freedom Day [optional]).
  4. April 29–30 (school holidays).
  5. Thursday, May 1 (Labor Day).
  6. Friday, May 2 (school holidays).
  7. Monday, June 16 (Youth Day).
  8. Wednesday, September 24 (Heritage Day).

Independent schools of the central region (3 terms per year)

School holidays 2025 independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • Semester break: from 12:00 pm on February 20 to February 24, 2025.
  • 1st quarter holidays: from April 5 to May 5, 2025.
  • Semester break: from June 27 to July 6, 2025.
  • 2nd quarter holidays: from August 9 to September 2, 2025.
  • Semester break: from 12:00 pm on October 16 to October 20, 2025.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: from December 4, 2025.

Schools are closed on public holidays:

  1. Friday, March 21 (Human Rights Day).
  2. Monday, June 16 (Youth Day).
  3. Wednesday, September 24 (Heritage Day).

South Africa School Holidays 2026

In this section we provide school holidays in South Africa 2026 for state and independent schools. Recall that up to and including 2024, school holidays in South Africa depended on the province.

Inland and Coastal Cluster Public Schools

  • Summer holidays 2025-2026: from 10 (12 for teachers) December 2025 to 14 (12 for teachers) January 2026.
  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays 2026): from March 28 to April 7, 2026.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays 2026): from June 27 to July 20, 2026.
  • 3rd quarter holidays (spring break 2026): from September 24 to October 5, 2026.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2026-2027): from 10 (12 for teachers) December 2026.

Public holidays and non-school days in 2026

  1. January 1st – New Year
  2. March 21 – Human Rights Day
  3. April 3 – Good Friday
  4. April 6 – Family Day
  5. April 27 – Freedom Day
  6. May 1st – Labor Day
  7. June 15 – Special School Holiday
  8. June 16 – Youth Day
  9. August 9 – National Women’s Day
  10. August 10 – National holiday
  11. September 24 – Heritage Day
  12. December 16 – Day of Reconciliation
  13. December 25th – Christmas
  14. December 26 – Goodwill Day

Independent schools of the central region (4 terms per year)

School holidays 2026 in independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays): from March 28 to April 13, 2026.
  • Mid-term break: 28th to 30th April 2026.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays): from June 27 to July 20, 2026.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: (spring break): from September 24 to October 12, 2026.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2023-2024): from December 3, 2026.

Schools are closed on the following holidays:

  1. Monday, April 27 (Freedom Day).
  2. Friday, May 1 (Labor Day).
  3. Monday, June 15 (non-school day).
  4. Tuesday, June 16 (Youth Day).
  5. Sunday, August 9 (Women’s Day).
  6. Monday, August 10 (Women’s Day).

Independent schools of the central region (3 terms per year)

School holidays 2026 independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • Semester break: from 12:00 noon on February 19 to February 23, 2026.
  • Easter holidays: from 3 to 6 April 2026.
  • 1st quarter holidays: from April 11 to May 5, 2026.
  • Semester break: from June 27 to July 5, 2026.
  • 2nd quarter holidays: from August 8 to September 8, 2026.
  • Semester break: from 12:00 pm on October 22 to October 26, 2026.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: from December 5, 2026.

Schools are closed on public holidays:

  1. Saturday, March 21 (Human Rights Day).
  2. Monday, June 15 (non-school day).
  3. Tuesday, June 16 (Youth Day).
  4. Thursday, September 24 (Heritage Day).
  5. Friday, September 25 (non-school day).

In this publication on ALYO.info we told about school holidays in South Africa 2025 and 2026. We gave exact start and end dates for state and independent schools. If you use this information on your site – do not forget to put a link to this material. Be sure to share this publication with your friends!

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