The Department of Education has released the proposed school calendar for 2026, meaning it’s time to start mapping out the academic year ahead.
From extracurricular commitments to matric exams and well-earned school breaks, there’s a full line-up of key dates you’ll want to jot down.
Feeling a little overwhelmed? No need. We’ve broken it all down for you. Here’s what you can expect from the 2026 South African school calendar:
Table of Contents
2026 School Calendar: Public School
It’s official: the proposed 2026 school calendar has been released for public schools.
The Department of Basic Education has made a summary of the 2026 school year, which is outlined below:
- 43 weeks
- 205 (209) days
- 4+1 public holidays
- 200 (204) school days
The new school calendar reveals that the Department of Education has added an additional four holidays, due to the ‘special school holidays’ that will take place in the year.
The extra days are a direct result of the Public Holidays Act of 1994. According to Section 2(1) of the Act, “whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.”
Additional time off means that learners and teachers alike will have more time to relax, unwind and recuperate, allowing them to tackle the remainder of the year with a fresh mindset.
With that said, let’s see what the school calendar has in store for the year 2026.
2026 Calendar for Public Schools
The 2026 school year begins on 14 January 2026 in Term 1 and will end on 9 December 2026 during Term 4. Keeping those dates in mind, here is what the 2026 school calendar looks like for public schools:
Term 1
Public holiday: New Year’s Day Thursday, 1 January 2026 |
Administration days 12-13 January 2026 |
Term 1 |
Schools start Wednesday, 14 January 2026 |
Schools end Friday, 27 March 2026 |
Public holiday: Human Rights Day Saturday, 21 March 2026 |
Public holiday: Good Friday Friday, 3 April 2026 |
Public holiday: Family Day Monday, 6 April 2026 |
School holidays 30 March – 7 April 2026 |
Term 2
Term 2 |
School starts Wednesday, 8 April 2026 |
School ends Friday, 26 June 2026 |
Public holiday: Freedom Day Monday, 27 April 2026 |
Public holiday: Workers’ Day Friday, 1 May 2026 |
Special School Holiday Monday, 15 June 2026 |
Public holiday: Youth Day Tuesday, 16 June 2026 |
School holidays 29 June – 20 July 2026 |
Term 3
Term 3 |
School starts Tuesday, 21 July 2026 |
School ends Wednesday, 23 September 2026 |
Public holiday: National Women’s Day Sunday, 9 August 2026 |
Special school holiday: Monday, 10 August 2026 |
Public holiday: Heritage Day Thursday, 24 September 2026 |
School holidays 25 September – 5 October 2026 |
Term 4
Term 4 |
School starts Tuesday, 6 October 2026 |
School ends Wednesday, 9 December 2026 |
Administration Days 10-11 December 2026 |
Public holiday: Day of Reconciliation Wednesday, 16 December 2026 |
Public holiday: Christmas Day Friday, 25 December 2026 |
Public holiday: Day of Goodwill Saturday, 26 December 2026 |
Summary of Public School Calendar for 2026
The 2026 South African school calendar is gearing up to deliver a full, education-focused year designed to give learners meaningful and engaging learning opportunities. With so much on the go, it’s essential for both students and teachers to set aside time to organise their schedules and make the most of every term.
Keep these dates on your radar so you’re always one step ahead:
Summary of Proposed Dates for 2026
Duration
Number of weeks
Number of days
Number of public holidays
Number of school days
(12) 14 January – 27 March
11
53 (55)
0
53 (55)
8 April – 26 June
12
58
3+1
54
21 July – 23 September
10
47
1
46
6 October – (9) 11 December
10
47 (49)
0
47 (49)
Total
43
205 (209)
4+1
200 (204)
2026 School Calendar: IEB Schools
In terms of the school calendar dates for IEB schools, it’s important to note that there are no universal dates or calendars that apply to all of the independent schools in South Africa. Many of the IEB schools follow the public school calendar, while other IEB schools follow an association calendar.
Certain IEB schools follow their own specific calendars. The ISASA calendar committee of the Central Region (Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape) publishes a Central Region Calendar, which is meant to be used as a guideline for member schools in the region. ISASA member schools aren’t required to use this calendar, but most of them do.
Keeping that in mind, here is the proposed calendar for the Central Region IEB schools in 2026:
3-Term Calendar
Term 1 |
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Opens | Wednesday, 14 January 2026 |
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Closes | Friday, 10 April 2026 |
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Half Term: closing open and days |
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Closes | Thursday, 19 February 2026 at 12:00 |
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Opens | Tuesday, 24 February 2026 |
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Public Holidays: | Saturday, 21 March 2026 (Human Rights Day) Easter Weekend (3 – 6 April 2026) |
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Term 2 |
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Opens | Wednesday, 6 May 2026 |
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Closes | Friday, 7 August 2026 |
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Half Term |
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Closes | Friday, 26 June 2026 (standard time) |
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Opens | Monday, 6 July 2026 |
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Public holidays |
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Youth Day | (Monday, 15 June 2026) Tuesday, 16 June 2026 |
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Term 3 |
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Opens | Wednesday, 9 September 2026 |
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Closes | Friday, 4 December 2026 |
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Half Term |
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Closes | Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 12:00 |
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Opens | Tuesday, 27 October 2026 | |
Public Holidays | Thursday, 24 September 2026 (Heritage Day) (Friday, 25 September 2026) | |
Total Number of Days: | 180 days plus 10 Saturdays |
4-Term Calendar
Term 1 | |
Opens | Wednesday, 14 January 2026 |
Closes | Friday, 27 March 2026 |
Term 2 | |
Opens | Tuesday, 14 April 2026 |
Closes | Friday, 26 June 2026 |
Public Holidays and School Holidays | |
Freedom Day | Monday, 27 April 2026 |
Mid-Term | 28 – 30 April 2026 |
Workers’ Day | Friday, 1 May 2026 |
School Holiday | Monday, 15 June 2026 |
Youth Day | Tuesday, 16 June 2026 |
Term 3 | |
Opens | Tuesday, 21 July 2026 |
Closes | Wednesday, 23 September 2026 |
Public Holidays | |
Women’s Day | Sunday, 9 August 2026 |
Women’s Day (observed) | Monday, 10 August 2026 |
Term 4 | |
Opens | Tuesday, 13 October 2026 |
Closes | Wednesday, 2 December 2026 |
Total Number of Days | 183 days plus 10 Saturdays |
Plan Ahead for the Academic Year
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