Once the Department of Basic Education declares school holidays, parents, teachers, and students in South Africa are free to decide what they want to do on any such holiday. It is an opportune moment for students to relax for a day before the onset of the last important academic stint of the year, with some provinces placing events or exams around the calendar.
Official School Holiday Calendar for October 2025
By the newly amended academic calendar issued by the Department of Basic Education, the Term 3 break will be observed from Friday, 03 October 2025, by all public schools in the country, who will open on Monday, 13 October 2025, for Term 4 after the holidays. These holidays of 10 days will be shared with schools of both Inland and Coastal Provinces except that some schools may actually close a day earlier according to regional exam timetables or administrative necessities. Official Dates:
- Last Day of Term 3: Friday, 03 October 2025
- Schools Reopen for Term 4: Monday, 13 October 2025
- Private schools following other curricula, e.g., IEB or Cambridge, would perhaps follow different school closing and opening dates.
When October public holidays come, these should mean great importance.
The October holidays in 2025 fall at a crunch time within the academic calendar. By late October, this time is when matric final examinations should be setting in, and hence, the break should be a great resting period for the students whilst preparing to bear the heavy demands of the end-year assessments. For the children, a good mental reset after one full term of assessments, sports, and extracurricular activities is much needed.Even the teachers are in favor of the break to be used for curriculum planning, report preparations, and teacher training workshops ahead of Term 4.
On the Other Side, Other Provinces Have Special Adjustments
Though nationally determined, the dates for some provinces may slightly differ due to their administrative needs:
- Strictly observe the 3rd to 13th October dates for Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape.
- Limpopo and Mpumalanga: Some remote schools may close a day earlier on transport and administrative scheduling grounds.
- Eastern Cape and Northern Cape: Some staggered calendar schools may open again by 14 October 2025.
- Parents are asked to check for their respective days at their own schools.
Travelling and Safety During Holidays
The October school break should be a very busy period for a short vacation before the last term takes over. Tourist operators of the Durban coast, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth are preparing for a flux of guests.The Department of Transport reminds people that safety comes first and asks all to plan their trip well, ensure they do not drive when sleepy, and abide by the law – especially in the first and last weekends of the break.
When will the schools stop again in December in 2025?
Schools will at last close for the year by Wednesday, 10 December, after Term 4 starts on 13 October in all public schools of the country.
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