South African learners are just days away from their September-October school holidays, which begin on Wednesday, 23 September, marking the end of the third term.
Public schools in South Africa officially close next Wednesday, ahead of the Heritage Day public holiday.
Thursday, 24 September marks Heritage Day in South Africa.
Two-week break
So, how long will pupils be on holiday?
Learners will be off for just under two weeks as the fourth and final term of the academic year is set to begin on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
The fourth term will run through to 9 December.
The duration of this term is 10 weeks – or 47 school days – with no public holidays scheduled during that stretch.
For matric learners specifically, this break carries extra weight.
The National Senior Certificate written exams officially begin on 13 October, just a week after the fourth term begins. This means the September-October break effectively doubles as final revision time before matric finals begin in earnest.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN SA MAY BE DIFFERENT
While government schools follow the Department of Basic Education’s official calendar, independent and private schools don’t always follow the exact same timeline.
Parents with children at ISASA-affiliated or other private schools would need to confirm their specific closing and reopening dates directly with their school.
Once schools reopen on 6 October, learners would need to immediately shift their minds from the holidays into preparing for final exams mode.
