Public and private school holidays and academic calendar 2023
The Department of Basic Education shares an updated academic calendar annually to keep students abreast regarding learning sessions and holidays. The public and private school holidays and academic calendars for 2023 are already out.

Source: UGC
There are slight differences in how the South African government and private schools operate. For instance, the academic calendar for public learning institutions has four terms. Meanwhile, an academic calendar of private schools can have three or four terms, depending on various factors.
The 2023 academic calendars showing SA's public and private school holidays
The Department of Education expects learners and the School Management Teams (SMTs) from public and private learning institutions to follow this academic calendar in 2023.
SA private school holidays for 2023
Learners and educators in South Africa usually get enough half-term breaks to relax and recharge. ISASA (Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa) IEB school calendars for independent schools.
ISASA Central Region publishes a calendar for member schools in the Central Region (Gauteng, Free State, North West, and Northern Cape). Since private schools differ, there are 4-term and 3-term ISASA calendars.
ISASA Central Region 4-Term Calendar
ISASA's 4-Term Calendar has 187 days, and 8 Saturdays. Central Region member schools are not required to follow these dates. Individual schools may vary their calendars to cater to specific requirements.
TERM 1 (48 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Wednesday 11 January |
Close | Friday 17 March |
A parent or guardian should have quality family time with their children when they close, especially if their school does not give them a mid-term break in the first term of 2023. Remember to encourage them to work hard in the second academic year term.
TERM 2 (49 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Wednesday 12 April |
Close | Friday 23 June |
Public Holidays | Thursday 27 April (Freedom Day) |
Friday 28 April (School holiday) | |
Monday 1 May (Workers’ Day) | |
Friday 16 June (Youth Day) |
School holidays and half-terms allow children to learn things not taught in class because they need more than classroom education. Therefore, let them occupy themselves with creative things that can entertain and teach them the ways of life.
TERM 3 (48 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Tuesday 18 July |
Close | Friday 22 September |
Public Holidays | Wednesday 9 August (Women’s Day) |
After relieving some of the pressure experienced during the holidays and half-terms, students return to class eager to learn more. Therefore, allow them to respite from the classroom stresses and struggles during these short breaks.
TERM 4 (42 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Tuesday 10 October |
Close | Wednesday 6 December |
Many private schools do accommodate students with special needs. Unlike public schools, they are not required to comply with state laws concerning these students. If you have a special needs child, ensure the private school you choose can meet the child's physical and behavioral needs.

Source: UGC
ISASA Central Region 4-Term Calendar
Most private schools in South Africa follow a four-term academic calendar. Only a few use the three-term public school calendar. Since no general academic term calendar is mandated for private schools in South Africa, they customize the private or public school calendar to incorporate extracurricular activities and events. This revised private school holidays calendar for 2023 has 185 days and 8 Saturdays.
Term 1 (58 days)
Start | Wednesday 11 January |
Close | Thursday 6 April |
Half Term | Close: Thursday 23 February (12h00) |
Return: Tuesday 28 February | |
Public Holidays | Monday 20 March (School holiday) |
Tuesday 21 March (Human Rights Day) |
Private schools in South Africa are expensive because they are almost 100% funded by tuition fees and their boards of parents. Most high-income and middle-class families still choose them over government learning centers because they generally have higher education standards.
Term 2 (64 days)
Start | Wednesday 3 May |
Close | Tuesday 8 August |
Half Term | Close: Friday 23 June (normal time) |
Return: Monday 3 July | |
Public Holidays | Friday 16 June (Youth Day) |
Teachers in private and public schools are qualified, but private school teachers enjoy more autonomy in the classroom and use more creative teaching methods. It is partly because independent schools don't have to abide by certain complicated government regulations.
Term 3 (63 days)
Start | Wednesday 6 September |
Close | Wednesday 6 December |
Half Term | Close: Thursday 26 October (12h00) |
Public Holidays | Return: Tuesday 31 October |
Monday 25 September (Heritage Dayholiday for Sunday 24 September) |
The public school calendar for 2023

Source: UGC
State schools are significantly cheaper than private schools. SA's 2023 public school calendar has 199 days actual school days. The first term of South Africa's academic year is usually too short for the Department of Education to grant learners in state schools a half term.
Below is the 2023 South African calendar for state/government schools (inland and coastal clusters). The dates and days in brackets ( ) only apply to educators:
Terms | Duration | Weeks | Days | Public Holidays | Actual School Days |
1 | (09) 11 Jan – 24 Mar | 11 | 53 (55) | 1+1 | 51 (53) |
2 | 12 Apr – 23 Jun | 11 | 53 | 3+1 | 49 |
3 | 18 Jul – 29 Sept | 11 | 54 | 2 | 52 |
4 | 10 Oct – 13 (15) Dec | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
Total | 43 | 207 (211) | 6+2 | 199 (203) |
According to South Africa's Department of Education, Inland Cluster are government schools in Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West Provinces. Meanwhile, Coastal Cluster are government state learning institutions in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Western Cape Provinces.
TERM 1 (53 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Administration days | 9-10 January (Inland Cluster) |
16-17 January (Coastal Cluster) | |
Start | Wednesday 11 January (Inland Cluster) |
Wednesday 18 January 2023 (Coastal Cluster) | |
Close | Friday 24 March (Inland Cluster) |
Friday 31 March (Coastal Cluster) | |
Half Term | Close: Monday 27 March (12h00) |
Return: Tuesday 11 April | |
Special school holiday | Monday 20 March |
Public Holidays | Monday 21 March (Human Rights Day) |
Gauteng and the Western Cape have the most expensive public schools in South Africa. The best schools increased fees in 2022 to recover losses from the 2021 fee freeze that helped parents cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
TERM 2 (53 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Wednesday 12 April |
Close | Friday 23 June |
Half Term | Close: Monday 26 June (Normal time) |
Return: Monday 17 July | |
Public Holidays | Friday 7 April (Good Friday) |
Monday 10 April (Family Day) | |
Thursday 27 April (Freedom Day) | |
Monday, 1 May (Worker’s Day) | |
Friday 16 June (Youth Day) | |
Special school holiday | Friday 28 April |
The Department of Education has made education compulsory for all children aged seven to 15 (or completing Grade 9). However, South Africa also has public special needs schools for children with disabilities.
TERM 3 (54 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Tuesday 18 July |
Close | Friday 29 September |
Half Term | Close: Thursday 26 October (12h00) |
Return: Tuesday 31 October | |
Public Holidays | Wednesday 9 August (Women’s Day) |
Monday 24-25 September (Heritage Day holiday for Sunday 24 September) |
The majority of the South African population prefers English as the language of instruction at all levels of education. Therefore, most schools in SA primarily teach students English.
TERM 4 (47 DAYS)
DAYS | |
Start | Tuesday 10 October |
Close | Wednesday 13 December |
Administration Days | 14-15 December (inland and coastal clusters) |
Public Holidays | Saturday 16 December (Day of Reconciliation) |
Monday 25 December (Christmas Day) | |
Tuesday 26 December (Day of Goodwill) |
Public schools comply with the government's School Fee Exemption and the No-fee Schools policies to help children from poor backgrounds access education. Eligibility for full and partial school fee exemptions depends on the parent or caretaker's income in relation to the fees.
South African national holidays in 2023

Source: UGC
Most institutions give children mid-term breaks but limit the number of national holidays they are allowed out of school because they must complete the syllabus on time. Nevertheless, teachers instill a sense of patriotism in kids on all federal holidays, including those not allowed to take breaks. These are South Africa's national holidays in 2023:
Date | National Public Holiday |
1 January | New Year’s Day |
2 January | Public Holiday |
20 March | Special School Holiday |
21 March | Human Rights Day |
07 April | Good Friday |
10 April | Family Day |
27 April | Freedom Day |
28 April | Special School Holiday |
1 May | Workers’ Day |
16 June | Youth Day |
9 August | National Women’s Day |
24 September | Heritage Day |
25 September | Public Holiday |
16 December | Day of Reconciliation |
25 December | Christmas Day |
26 December | Day of Goodwill |
What are the October school holidays?
South Africa doe not have school holidays in October 2023.
What are the school holidays in Cape Town?
Public schools in Cape Town comply with the government's 2023 school calendar from the Department of Education. Therefore, they respect South Africa's national holidays.
What are the school holidays in Johannesburg?
State schools in Johannesburg uphold South Africa's national holidays because they all use the government's 2023 school calendar.
What are the school holidays in Pretoria?
Government schools in Pretoria acknowledge South Africa's national holidays because they use a school calendar from the Department of Education.
What are SA private school holidays?
Private schools in South Africa use the ISASA 4-term or 3-term calendars. They are allowed to modify them to suit their learners and educators.
The 4-term ISASA calendar gives schools these holidays:
- Monday 20 March (School holiday)
- Tuesday 21 March (Human Rights Day)
- Friday 16 June (Youth Day)
- Monday 25 September (Heritage Day holiday for Sunday 24 September)
The 3-term ISASA calendar gives schools these holidays:
- Thursday 27 April (Freedom Day)
- Friday 28 April (School holiday)
- Monday 1 May (Workers’ Day)
- Friday 16 June (Youth Day)
- Wednesday 9 August (Women’s Day)
SA's education system includes public and private school holidays in its annual school calendars to help parents plan how to spend quality time with their children.
READ ALSO: How much do teachers earn in South Africa? All you need to know
Briefly.co.za also facts regarding teachers' salary rates in South Africa. SA calls teachers educators. The difference between these two titles is primarily semantic.
They perceive a teacher as an instructor, while an educator is someone with skills to deliver theory to a student in a way that helps the learner to put the concepts into practice. Therefore, they acknowledge the efforts of good teachers by calling them educators.
Source: Briefly News