School holidays in South Africa 2024, 2025 (State and Independent Schools)

In this publication, ALYO.info will consider the following topic: school holidays in South Africa 2024 and 2025. We will tell you when school holidays in South Africa start and end in state and independent schools. We will also provide dates for holidays and additional non-school days when schools are closed. If you use this information on a website, blog or social network, please leave a link to this material!

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. Usually these are 1-2 days during which schools are closed. Such 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 2024

Below are the school holidays in South Africa 2024. Dates are given separately for government schools, independent schools with a school year consisting of 3 terms and 4 terms. As a reminder, from 2024, school holiday dates for government schools in South Africa do not depend on the location of the school.

Inland and Coastal Cluster Public Schools

  • Summer holidays 2023-2024: from 14 (16 for teachers) December 2023 to 17 (15 for teachers) January 2024.
  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays 2024): from March 21 to April 2, 2024.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays 2024): from June 15 to July 8, 2024.
  • 3rd quarter holidays (spring break 2024): from September 21 to September 30, 2024.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2024-2025): from 11 (13 for teachers) December 2024 to 14 (12 for teachers) January 2025.

Non-school days and public holidays in public schools 2024

  1. April 27 is Freedom Day.
  2. May 1st – Labor Day.
  3. August 9 – National Women’s Day.

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

School holidays 2024 in independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • Summer holidays 2023-2024: from December 7, 2023 to January 16, 2024.
  • 1st quarter holidays (autumn holidays): from March 21 to April 8, 2024.
  • 2nd quarter holidays (winter holidays): from May 4 to July 9, 2024.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: (spring break): from September 21 to October 8.
  • 4th quarter holidays (summer holidays 2024-2025): from December 6, 2024 to January 14, 2025.

Schools are closed on the following holidays:

  1. Wednesday, May 1 (Labor Day).
  2. Thursday, May 2 (school holidays).
  3. Friday, May 3 (school holidays).
  4. Friday, August 9 (Women’s Day).

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

School holidays 2024 independent schools in: Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

  • Semester break: from 12:00 pm on February 22 to February 26, 2024.
  • 1st quarter holidays: from April 12 to May 6, 2024.
  • Semester break: from June 29 to July 7, 2024.
  • 2nd quarter holidays: from August 9 to September 3, 2024.
  • Semester break: from October 24 to October 28, 2024.
  • 3rd quarter holidays: from December 6, 2024 to January 14, 2025.

Schools are closed on public holidays:

  1. Thursday, March 21 (Human Rights Day).
  2. Friday, March 22 (school holidays).
  3. Easter weekend (March 29 – April 1).
  4. Monday, June 17 (school holidays).
  5. Monday, September 23 (school holidays).
  6. Tuesday, September 24 (Heritage Day).

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 Independent Schools Association 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).

In this publication on ALYO.info we have told about school holidays in South Africa 2024 and 2025. We have given 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!