Academic calendar dates for the 2026 academic year || School Term Dates 2026

Get all details on Senior Schools in Kenya on this site.

The Ministry of Education has officially released the academic calendar dates for the 2026 academic year.

The comprehensive schedule details term dates for Basic Education Institutions and Diploma Teachers Training Colleges (DTTCs).

Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok signed the circular, which was copied to Education CS Julius Ogamba, the Teachers Service Commission, Kenya National Examination Council and Council of Governors.

The circular has been dispatched to all regional directors of education, county directors of education and sub-county directors of education.

2026 Term 1 School Calendar

Basic Education Institutions, which include pre-primary, primary, junior, senior, and secondary schools, will begin the year on January 5, 2026.

Term I will run for 13 weeks, closing on April 2, 2026. Students will enjoy a five-day half-term break from February 25 to March 1, 2026.

The April holiday is set for three weeks, from April 7 to April 24, 2026.

2026 Term 2 School Calendar

Term II is scheduled to last 14 weeks, opening on April 27 and concluding on July 31, 2026.

A second half term will take place between June 24 and June 28. This will be followed by a three-week August holiday, which ends on August 21.

2026 Term 3 School Calendar

The final term, Term III, will be the shortest at nine weeks. It is scheduled from August 24 to October 23, 2026.

The circular also confirms the dates for all major national examinations. The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) are slated for five days.

2026 Knec National Exams Timetable

They will run from October 26, 2026. The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) will also begin on October 26.

They will run for seven days. The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will take place over three weeks. KCSE is scheduled from November 2 to November 20, 2026.

Students will then begin their long end-of-year break. The December holiday is scheduled to last 10 weeks. It will run from October 26, 2026, until January 1, 2027.

Separately, the Diploma Teachers Training Colleges will follow a similar schedule.

Their Term III, however, will extend until November 6, 2026, lasting 11 weeks. Their December holiday starts on November 9.

The Ministry has also maintained an existing restriction for secondary schools.

The circular states clearly, “Activities and visits to secondary schools in third term 2026 remain banned as per the earlier circulars.” The document was directed to all institutions of basic education.

By Editorial Team

The Education News Hub Editorial Team is made up of vibrant and experienced editors. Brian Yano is an accomplished longtime Digital Media Journalist at Educationnewshub.co.ke with a great passion for research and fact-checking. He delivers engaging content across diverse topics, with a special interest in Education matters. On her part, Yvonne Kemunto is a journalist, dedicated to unraveling stories that matter. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she brings a fresh perspective to the world of media. Her commitment to detail and excellence shines through in every piece she crafts. Our newest member of the Editorial Team is Jennifer Mumbo. She is a Seasoned Multimedia Journalist with several years' experience; dating back to 2018. Jennifer has a passion for education, sports, tech, politics and entertainment. You can reach the editors at educationnewshub3@gmail.com.