The Department of Basic Education has released the revised school calendar for South African schools which aims to complete the 2020 school year by 15 December.
The new calendar meant that Grade 12 would no longer open today and Grade 7 would no longer go back to school on 10 August.
The review of the school calendar came after a Cabinet decision that schools should break for four weeks to spare teachers and pupils from getting caught in the peak of the Coronavirus.
There are 163 actual school days for teachers and 156 for learners.
In terms of the new version of the calendar, schools will resume on 24 August 2020, close in December and there will be no carrying over into the year.
“The school year will be completed on 15 December 2020 for Grade R to11 and that it is not carried over to the first quarter of 2021,” the department said.
“A break in school will be needed to separate the third and fourth terms. There will be a one week from 26 to 30 October.
The department also said the Grade 12 examinations will be completed by 15 December for marking to be concluded on 22 January and results will be released on 23 February 2021.
“The new school year will commence on 25 January 2021 for teachers and learners (to follow) a few days later,” read the statement.