With Term 2 drawing to a close, learners across South Africa are counting down the days to the June-July school holidays. Whether you're a parent planning ahead or a learner marking off the days on a calendar, here's a full breakdown of what to expect over the next few weeks. Term 2 will officially end on Friday, 26 June. The term began on 8 April, with both inland and coastal schools reopening on the same date, continuing a policy introduced in 2024 that standardised the national start date to prevent delays to the academic year and protect the total number of teaching days. At 54 school days, Term 2 is the second-longest term of the year.

The first long weekend is already on the horizon. But before the holidays officially begin, learners have something closer to look forward to. Monday, 15 June has been declared a special school holiday, giving learners a four-day long weekend ahead of Youth Day. This means learners will only return to school on Wednesday, 17 June, before the final stretch of the term. After the June-July break, learners will return to school on Tuesday, 21 July, to start Term 3.

At 51 school days, Term 3 is the shortest term of the 2026 academic year, running from 21 July through to 23 September.

The 2026 school calendar at a glance For parents planning ahead, the complete 2026 academic year is structured as follows: Term 1: 14 January – 27 March (53 days) Term 2: 8 April – 26 June (54 days) Term 3: 21 July – 23 September (51 days) Term 4: 6 October – 9 December (47 days) The 2026 school year includes public holidays. However, the Local Government Elections public holiday on Wednesday, 4 November, will shorten Term 4 by one day, trimming the overall school year slightly.

The Department of Basic Education reviews the school calendar every year to ensure no teaching and learning days are lost unnecessarily. The department aims to provide a consistent and predictable framework for students and educators across the country by balancing public holidays, regional needs, and the minimum number of instructional days required. Parents are encouraged to use the upcoming long weekend and holiday period to plan family travel, childcare arrangements, and any activities ahead of time, particularly given how quickly the Term 3 return date of 21 July will arrive.

You have about a week left to finalise your plans for the June holidays, so mark those calendars accordingly.

Important Dates

  • Term 2 officially ends on Friday, 26 June.
  • Monday, 15 June has been declared a special school holiday.
  • Tuesday, 16 June is Youth Day.
  • Learners return to school on Tuesday, 21 July, to start Term 3.
  • The 2026 school year includes 47 public holidays.