The Basic Education Department of South Africa (DBE) has set the school calendar for the year 2025 and this is beneficial for all as thus they will be aware of the precise dates of the different terms and the vacations in the country. The October school holiday of 2025 that splits Term 3 and Term 4 will be an important occasion for students, parents, and, teachers—their planning will go into chaos thereafter.
School Year and Holidays in 2025
The public education system in South Africa consists of four terms with corresponding breaks after each term. The school year for public schools in 2025 has been announced already and institutions are debating about mid-term changes while the calendar stays intact.
The following dates will apply for 2025:
- First term: 15 January – 28 March
- Second term: 8 April – 27 June
- Third term: 22 July – 3 October
- Fourth term: 13 October – 10 December (with administrative days on 11 and 12 December)
There are several holidays throughout the year such as the one in April, the summer season of June-July, and the year-end, which are all considered to be for enjoyment.
What This Means for Students and Parents
The break for kids, likely around October 6-10, 2025, will have the advantage of being completely school-free and making no interference with any plans or activities of Christmas that involve parents or caregivers. But schools might be conducting some activities internally like assessments, sports, and catching up on work during the holidays or just before or after them, so it is better for students to look up their school’s calendar. The holiday is for every province at once, and therefore national events such as mid-term camps or inter-school competitions are usually arranged for that time of year.
Public Holidays & Special Breaks to Note
The school calendar does not only include the term breaks but also indicates other school holidays among which the extra week from April 28 to May 2, 2025, is governed by the calendar. The public holidays of Women’s Day (August 9) and Heritage Day (September 24) have also been incorporated in terms and days off for celebrations.
- October 2025 Break: Dates & Details
- End of Term 3 – Start of Term 4
- The closing date for Term 3 and the opening date for Term 4 are the same all over the nation: 3rd October 2025 and 13th October 2025, respectively, both provinces have the same days. The autumn break for all schools will be the same length of time, which is from 6th to 10th October 2025. They will not be open for the whole week, Monday to Friday, so students will get a complete week off between the two terms. The break might begin on the 4th at the earliest, according to some sources; however, the official public holiday calendar has verified the break to be from 6th to 10th October.
also read : NERSA October 2025 Electricity Price Hike: How Much More South Africans Will Pay