With the new year now well under way, preparations have begun for schools around the country to reopen in 2023. Photo: UNICEF

NEW public school calendar for South Africa cuts back on holidays

The Department of Basic Education has gazetted the school calendar for 2024 with more days for pupils and fewer holidays.

by Garrin Lambley

04-08-2022 18:03

in Lifestyle

With the new year now well under way, preparations have begun for schools around the country to reopen in 2023. Photo: UNICEF

The Department of Basic Education has gazetted the school calendar for 2024.

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According to the BusinessTech website, the 2024 public school calendar will start on 17 January 2024 and will wrap up on 11 December 2024 after a total of 203 school days – four more than in both 2022 and 2023.

There will also be fewer school holidays in 2024, with the calendar confirming just 25 days off, compared to 32 days in 2023 and 33 in 2022.

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To accomplish this, the 2024 calendar has been structured in such a way that the school terms are not disrupted by as many public holidays as was the case in the past, with schools losing only two days to public holidays – one day each in terms two and three. In 2022 and 2023, pupils lost eight days to public holidays.

Most public holidays in 2024 will fall during school holidays.

The department made the changes in an effort to make up for days lost during the Covid-19 pandemic which severely affected both teachers and pupils.

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