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The Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
DBE slams fake news about 2025 school calendar
The department urged the public to ignore reports that the school calendar has changed The DBE announcement of new school calendar fake news. Picture: X/@UmalusiSA The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has shut down false claims circulating online about changes to the 2025 school calendar. Rise UP on Monday reported that the education department had released new dates and term breaks for the remainder of the school year. 'This revamped school calendar is designed to optimise learning periods and ensure sufficient rest, reflecting the department's commitment to improving educational outcomes in the region,' it said. It further stated that the decision was to 'evenly distribute' the school terms. However, the department denied the claims and reassured parents, teachers, and pupils that the current school calendar for 2025 remains unchanged. 'Be informed that the school calendar for the academic year 2025 has not changed,' the department said. ALSO READ: No party favourites: Minister defends appointment of Mantashe's son to Seta board 'The department has not made any announcement regarding the school calendar for 2025 whatsoever! Beware of scams!' it warned. ALSO READ: 'Looting using matric papers': Why did NW printing job price jump by around R100m? School calendar Here's a comprehensive overview of the key dates on the 2025 school calendar to help parents stay ahead of the game. Term 1: Schools start: 15 January 2025; Schools close: 28 March 2025; Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 January 2025), Human Rights Day (21 March 2025); and School holidays: 29 March to 7 April 2025. Second term: Schools start: 8 April 2025; Schools close: 27 June 2025; Public holidays: Good Friday (18 April 2025), Family Day (21 April 2025), Freedom Day (27 April 2025), Workers' Day (1 May 2025), Youth Day (16 June 2025). Special school holidays: 29 April to 2 May 2025; and School holidays: 18 June to 8 July 2025. Third term: School start: 22 July 2025; School closes: 3 October 2025; Public holidays: National Women's Day (9 August 2025), Heritage Day (24 September 2025); and School holidays: 6 to 10 October 2025. Fourth term: School start: 13 October 2025; School closes: 10 December 2025; Administration days: 11 to 12 December 2025; and Public holidays: Day of Reconciliation (16 December 2025), Christmas Day (25 December 2025), Day of Goodwill (26 December 2025). NOW READ: Nearly 3% of school staff in South Africa flagged for criminal activity — data reveals
The Citizen
05-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Back to school after week-long break: What to expect as second term rolls on
One long weekend remains in the term, with Youth Day on Monday, 16 June. As students return to school after a week-long break, seven weeks still remain in the term. According to the Department of Basic Education school calendar, term 2 is set to end on Friday, 27 June 2025. One more long weekend There is one long weekend remaining in the term, with Youth Day falling on Monday, 16 June. Students will be at school on Friday, 13 June, and will return after the long weekend on Tuesday, 17 June. Meanwhile, matriculants will begin their May-June National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations on Monday, 12 May, with the exams concluding on Wednesday, 25 June 2025. Students will have a three-week break before the third term begins on 22 July 2025. ALSO READ: Pupils get special school holidays this month – here's how to keep them safe Here's a comprehensive overview of the key dates on the 2025 school calendar to help parents stay ahead of the game. Term 1: Schools start: 15 January 2025; Schools close: 28 March 2025; Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 January 2025), Human Rights Day (21 March 2025); and School holidays: 29 March to 7 April 2025. Second term: Schools start: 8 April 2025; Schools close: 27 June 2025; Public holidays: Good Friday (18 April 2025), Family Day (21 April 2025), Freedom Day (27 April 2025), Workers' Day (1 May 2025), Youth Day (16 June 2025); Special school holidays: 29 April to 2 May 2025; and School holidays: 18 June to 8 July 2025. Third term: School start: 22 July 2025; School closes: 3 October 2025; Public holidays: National Women's Day (9 August 2025), Heritage Day (24 September 2025); and School holidays: 6 to 10 October 2025. Fourth term: School start: 13 October 2025; School closes: 10 December 2025; Administration days: 11 to 12 December 2025; and Public holidays: Day of Reconciliation (16 December 2025), Christmas Day (25 December 2025), Day of Goodwill (26 December 2025). NOW READ: Matrics: Here is your May-June exam timetable
IOL News
04-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Present Day Chokeholds and how young people are fighting back
Unemployed graduates South Africa has a huge unemployment crisis, with over 45,6% of young people between the ages of 18-35 without formal employment, says the writer. Image: Phill Magakoe AFP Last month, we commemorated Human Rights Day by honouring the loss of life which occurred during the Sharpeville Massacre. This momentous day forces us to reckon with the sacrifices made by the many fallen soldiers who laid their lives down for the liberation of the oppressed. Years later, the generation of today is drawing strength from the courageous acts made by these stalwarts and breaking free from present-day chokeholds that continue to constrict the economic emancipation and true freedom of young people. The liberators from the apartheid era might have laid their lives on the ground for liberation for all, while their efforts and bravery were not in vain, young black people under the democratic dispensation continue to suffer new forms of oppression. South Africa has a huge unemployment crisis, with over 45,6% of young people between the ages of 18-35 without formal employment. In my community, the scourge of unemployment is widely visible. Young college graduates wander in the streets with hopes of securing jobs and making a living for themselves, still they are faced with an exclusionary system that continues to lock them out of economic opportunities. Even when some continue to study further, many end up becoming victims of a life of addiction simply to remedy their inescapable conditions. Mass unemployment and the widening inequality gap have led to mental health decline and a loss of hope and dignity for many. Unemployment: Pass laws are gone, but new systems suffocate us today! Youth unemployment sits at 40%, a stat that's not just numbers but locked doors for millions. In my township, Tsakane in Ekurhuleni, young people with matric certificates, with college diplomas and University degrees, are collecting dust instead of paychecks. This has led many young people to fall into depression as they no longer see the importance of obtaining higher education qualifications because of having no opportunities, even when they went to school and furthered their studies. Nyaope addiction is turning brothers into ghosts and families into wrecks, with no clear solutions to assist their loved ones to break free from this addiction, says the writer. Image: Supplied Addiction: Then there's Nyaope, this demon's hooks sink deeper every day, turning brothers into ghosts and families into wrecks, with no clear solutions to assist their loved ones to break free from this addiction. This has led to an innumerable number of our peers to end up thieving just so they can sell what they stole just so that they can feed their addiction. Inequality: a child in Sandton's got a strong Wi-Fi connection and tutors, and they are more advantageous to make it well in education, when compared to a child in Alexander, who is just metres away from Sandton. These aren't just challenges, they're chokeholds, squeezing life out of our generation. Leadership: We are not waiting to be rescued; we make it happen Activators understand that present-day issues such as inequality and unemployment will not be remedied by an uncaring government that has failed to prioritise them; instead, the onus is on them to band together to rise above these chokeholds. Last week, I came across a youth group from Duduza who turned a social media group into a job-sharing board that offers services to revamp CVs. While this action may seem small, it is one of the many ways in which young people are making opportunities widely accessible for those without access. Waiting for something to miraculously happen for you is not an option, not in 2025. Action is the solution right now, and it's in your hands. Young people have to understand that they have ample power at their disposal and nothing will be handed to them on a silver platter until they get up and adopt a can-do attitude. The theme of the South African Rugby national team (the Springboks) was 'Stronger together,' we can learn from this, the Springboks as a team is comprised of different players who play in different positions and each of them contributes effectively in the positions they are placed in on their line-up, no player has single-handedly made them win the World cup tournament, they played as a team, not as individuals, and that's what made the Springboks be. This demonstrates that it takes a team to come up with strong and practical solutions. Link up! It could be with like-minded youth entities or individuals, and as a collective or as a network, you will thrive, you will identify problems, and together you can take steps to find solutions and tackle the socio-economic challenges you've identified. Our efforts as young people shouldn't end on Human Rights Day; they should occur daily. Image: Leon Muller / Independent Newspapers Archives
TimesLIVE
27-04-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Acting president Gwede Mantashe delivers keynote Human Rights Day address
Acting president Gwede Mantashe will on Sunday deliver the keynote address at the national Human Rights Day commemoration event in Ermelo, Mpumalanga.
Hans India
27-04-2025
- Health
- Hans India
SC to hear on Monday PIL seeking release of elderly, terminally ill convicted prisoners
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) seeking the release of elderly and terminally ill convicted prisoners across the country. As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar will take up the plea for hearing on April 28. The petition, filed through advocate Rashmi Nandakumar, highlights the dire conditions faced by these elderly and terminally ill convicted prisoners and calls for the implementation of their compassionate release in line with constitutional and human rights obligations. The PIL highlights the alarming rise in the number of elderly and infirm prisoners languishing in prisons, often without adequate medical care or access to dignified living conditions. 'The prolonged incarceration of such individuals violates their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution as well as international human rights principles recognised by the United Nations,' the NALSA said. The apex legal services authority launched a special campaign for old prisoners and terminally ill prisoners to address the plight of vulnerable inmates on December 10 last year, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, under the guidance of Justice B.R. Gavai, who is the Executive Chairman of NALSA. The campaign was a step towards ensuring that the most vulnerable prisoners are not forgotten, when many of these elderly and terminally ill convicted prisoners have served substantial portions of their sentences and suffer from severe health conditions. To facilitate the release of elderly and terminally ill prisoners, the petition seeks the top court's intervention to release persons identified by NALSA under the special campaign for old prisoners and terminally ill prisoners, subject to the satisfaction of the respective trial courts. It referred to Prison Statistics India 2022, which states that 20.8 per cent of convicts (27,690 prisoners) and 10.4 per cent of undertrials (44,955 prisoners) are aged 50 years and above. Established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, NALSA aims to provide free legal aid and ensure access to justice for the marginalised and underprivileged sections of society.
