Education ministry introduces winter holiday

No winter holiday for grade 10, 11 and AS level learners
Michelline Nawatises
Octavia Tsibes





Learning and teaching has significantly been interrupted by the raising Covid-19 cases in schools. The education ministry announced that pre-primary to grade 9 and various phases for schools for the intellectually impaired as well as grade 10, 11 and advanced subsidiary level learners will not have face-to-face learning and teaching in the affected areas namely Windhoek, Rehoboth and Okahandja local authority areas.

Although there is no face-to-face learning and teaching, education should continue until the commencement of the winter holiday through the provision of take-home materials or online approaches.

The rest of the country

During the 10 school days when face-to-face teaching and learning is suspended in affected areas, schools outside this area should continue with face-to-face learning, according to the school calendar, unless there are positive cases at the school. When there is a positive case at the school, the schools are advised to follow the already existing Covid-19 protocols provided by the ministries of education and health and close the school for period of time.

A mid-term break will take place from 25 August until 30 August, and all learners and teachers to report back to school on 31 August. Schools will also be closed on 4 and 5 October, with teaching and learning to resume on 6 October. The last day of the school year will be 9 December for both teachers and learners.

Schools around Namibia that are eligible to provide school feeding should provide take-home rations, where available, to the learners for home preparations during the school holiday slated for 25 June to 26 July. According to the education ministry’s executive director, Sanet Steenkamp, most schools still have stock for the school feeding programme, and they must just come up with strategies on how they will distribute it. She also said schools should communicate with parents to collect the food from the school.

The ministry also announced that there will be no assessment at the end of the second term for pre-primary to grade 9. The school year will only have two assessment marks on the year report card.









Infographic Information

Restricted areas (Windhoek, Rehoboth and Okahandja local authority areas): 10 school days 17 June to 30 June

Pre-primary to grade 9 and various phases for schools for the intellectually impaired learners.

Suspension of face-to-faced for a period of 10 days, however, education continues through the provision of take-home materials.

Will break for Winter school holiday will commence 25 June, learners and teachers will continue to stay at home until 26 July 2021.

Learners in hostels where there are confirmed covid-19 cases should remain in the hostels until they are cleared by the ministry of health and social services (MOHSS) for them to go home.

No assessment will be done at the end of the second term for pre-primary to grade 9. The school year will only have two assessment marks on the year report card.



Grade 10, 11 and advance subsidiary (AS) level for Windhoek, Rehoboth and Okahandja local authority areas

Face-to-face teaching and learning are suspended for 10 school days.

Grade 10, 11 and AS level learners and teachers return to school on 1 July 2021.

Learners in hostels where there are confirmed covid-19 cases should remain in the hostels until they are cleared by the ministry of health and social services (MOHSS) for them to go home.

No winter holidays

The rest of the country

Pre-primary to grade 9 and various phases for schools for the intellectually impaired learners.

Will continue with face-to-face teaching and learning following current school calendar.

Winter school holiday will commence 25 June until 26 July 2021.

No assessment will be done at the end of the second term for pre-primary to grade 9. The school year will only have two assessment marks on the year report card.



Grade 10, 11 and advance subsidiary (AS) level

Will continue with face-to-face teaching and learning following current school calendar.

Leaners residing in the hostels, should remain in the hostel for the duration.

No winter holidays.

Will continue will face-to-face teaching and learning until 13 August 2021.