Back to School: What You Need to Know

After the last couple of very disruptive years, everyone has been excited to get children back to school full time. And the hopes are that students can catch up as much as possible over the 2022 year. As a result this year’s Back to school theme as “Working together to lay a solid foundation for the 2022 academic year”                                                                                      

Full Reopening

The government has decided to fully reopen schools after they have been following a rotational system since March 2020. Furthermore, the regulatory provision that learners must maintain one metre of social distancing in schools has also been removed.

Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba from the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education said “in every province the education sector made it clear that a complete and total return to schooling was needed and required”. The Department of Basic Education estimates that learners in disadvantaged communities lost almost a full year’s worth of learning in 2020 due to a lack of teaching contact time and a rotational learning system.

So, as Ms Mbinqo-Gigaba adds, “our learners will be best served at this point to return fully to school”. And the department hopes to catch up with schooling as much as possible over the next year. While still maintaining caution with regards to covid safety. The department asks students to continue wearing masks as well as sanitizing and washing their hands regularly.

February Heat Warning for Children

The Health Department of the Western Cape has noticed a serious increase in cases of diarrhea, dehydration, and pneumonia in children over recent weeks. They believe it to be mostly due to the extremely hot weather. And as a result are warning parents to be vigilant of children as we enter February, which is commonly the hottest month of the year.  

Term Dates

Both coastal and inland provinces will be attending a total of 199 school days over the four terms that will make up the 2022 school year.

Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West

• First Term: 12 January – 17 March 
• Second Term: 05 April – 24 June 
• Third Term: 19 July – 30 September 
• Fourth Term: 11 October – 14 December

Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape

• First Term: 19 January – 25 March
• Second Term: 05 April – 24 June 
• Third Term: 19 July – 30 September 
• Fourth Term: 11 October – 14 December 

Public and School Holidays