Government announces 12-week terms in major school calendar overhaul from 2027
Government announces 12-week terms in major school calendar overhaul from 2027
The government has announced plans to rationalise the academic calendar starting next year to ensure equal-length school terms and end the school unrest that has affected 204 schools so far.
Under the new plan, all terms will have about 12 weeks, according to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
Ogamba said on Wednesday, June 10, that the current structure, where the first term runs for 12 weeks, the second 14 weeks, and the third 9 weeks, will be reviewed and standardised.
“The first term is 12 weeks, the second term is 14 weeks, and the third term is 9 weeks. We are now going to rationalise that and have 12 weeks across the board,” said CS Ogamba.
“We are working on that, and from the next academic year, school terms will be rationalised as part of the reforms we are doing to ensure that our students do not get exhausted,” he added.
The proposal is part of broader reforms within the education sector aimed at reducing learner fatigue and creating a more balanced academic workload throughout the year.
Currently, the uneven term has been a challenge for most schools, with some terms being too long and others too short, forcing teachers to rush the syllabus and adjust lesson plans frequently.
Despite the looming changes expected to take effect from January 2026, Ogamba insisted that the current academic calendar remains intact, further emphasising that learners will proceed on mid-term break from June 24 to June 28, 2026.
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“Parents are urged to use the break to spend time with their children and to provide guidance and support to them. Any grievances or concerns should be articulated appropriately and shared with schools,” Ogamba directed.
To address the recent surge in unrest cases across senior secondary schools, Ogamba announced the formation of a multi-stakeholder team to review the causes of unrest and make recommendations on strategies for stemming the challenge.
He also directed County and Sub-County Education Officers to undertake targeted safety assessments and audits, and monitor institutions considered to be at risk.
Ogamba also announced an urgent consultative Parents Association meeting to review the state of affairs and learner welfare in their respective schools.
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