Education Ministry releases 2026 school academic calendar with new term and exam dates
Education Ministry releases 2026 school academic calendar with new term and exam dates
The Ministry of Education has released the official 2026 academic calendar for all basic education institutions across the country.
The new schedule, signed by Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, will apply to pre-primary, primary, junior, senior, and secondary schools, as well as diploma teacher training colleges.
According to the circular dated October 9, 2025, all schools will open for the first term on January 5, 2026, and close on April 2, 2026, after 13 weeks of learning. Learners will then proceed on a three-week April holiday before resuming for the second term on April 27, 2026.
The first term will also include a half-term break between February 25 and March 1, 2026, giving students and teachers five days off before continuing with the remainder of the term.
Second term dates
The second term will run for 14 weeks and end on July 31, 2026. Learners will then go on a three-week holiday from August 3 to August 21, 2026. According to the government, the half-term break is also scheduled between June 24 and June 28, 2026.
Third term and exam dates
Schools will reopen for the crucial third and final term on August 24, 2026, and close on October 23, 2026, after nine weeks of learning. Examinations will then follow immediately, beginning on October 26, 2026, across different levels of the new competency-based curriculum.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will begin on October 26, 2026, and end on October 29, while the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will also start on the same date.
The Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) is set to commence on November 2, 2026.
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KCSE dates
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will kick off on November 2, 2026, and end on November 20, 2026, paving the way for an eight-week December holiday.
The December long holidays will run for 10 weeks, beginning on October 26 and ending on January 1, 2027.
Diploma colleges
In addition to basic education institutions, the ministry has also released the 2026 academic calendar for diploma teacher training colleges. The colleges will open on January 6, 2026, and close on April 2, 2026, for the first term.
The second term will run from April 27 to July 31, while the third term will begin on August 24 and end on November 6, 2026. They will then proceed on a holiday from the December holiday on November 9, 2026, and end the same on January 1, 2027.
Ban on visits
The ministry has maintained a three-term structure similar to the current system, with activities and visits to secondary schools during the third term remaining prohibited as per existing ministry directives.
The Principal Secretary directed all regional, county, and sub-county directors of education to distribute the circular to every learning institution under their jurisdiction.
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