This guide covers the 2026 school year, whose Term 3 closes on Friday 23 October, with the national assessments running to 20 November. The Ministry has announced that from 2027 all three terms are standardised at 12 weeks.
Every Kenyan parent and teacher needs the school calendar. Whether you are planning holidays, scheduling revision, or coordinating family events around school terms, this is your definitive reference for the 2026 Kenya academic year.
This calendar covers all three terms for both primary (Grade 1-6) and secondary (Grade 7-12) schools, including the key examination periods for KPSEA and KJSEA. We update this page whenever the Ministry of Education or KNEC issues changes, so bookmark it and check back throughout the year.
Source: Ministry of Education 2026 terms calendar for Pre-Primary, Primary, Junior School and Senior School, and the KNEC 2026 KPSEA and revised KJSEA timetables (checked 30 September 2026).
Term 1, January to April 2026 (13 Weeks)
| Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 Opens | Monday, 5 January 2026 | All learners report. New Grade 7 and Grade 10 learners begin orientation. |
| Half-Term Break | Wednesday 25 February to Sunday 1 March 2026 | Official half-term break. |
| Term 1 Closes | Thursday, 2 April 2026 | Report cards issued. Good Friday follows on 3 April. |
| April Holiday | 3 to 26 April 2026 | About three and a half weeks. |
Term 2, April to July 2026 (14 Weeks)
| Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 2 Opens | Monday, 27 April 2026 | All learners report back after the April holiday. |
| Madaraka Day (Public Holiday) | Monday, 1 June 2026 | Public holiday falls on a Monday, no school. |
| Half-Term Break | Wednesday 24 to Sunday 28 June 2026 | Official half-term break. |
| Term 2 Closes | Friday, 31 July 2026 | Report cards issued. End-of-term exams in the final week. |
| August Holiday | 1 to 23 August 2026 | About three weeks. |
Term 3, August to October 2026 (9 Weeks)
Term 3 is a short, 9-week term in 2026. Schools close on Friday 23 October, and the national assessments begin the following Monday, 26 October. Candidates stay on for their papers; everyone else starts the long holiday.
| Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 3 Opens | Monday, 24 August 2026 | All learners report. Exam classes begin intensive revision. |
| Half-Term Break | None in Term 3 | The Ministry calendar sets no half-term break in this 9-week term. |
| Mashujaa Day (Public Holiday) | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | Heroes Day. No school. |
| KPSEA and KJSEA rehearsal | Friday, 23 October 2026 | Candidates confirm their centre, room and seat. |
| Term 3 Closes | Friday, 23 October 2026 | Report cards issued. Academic year ends for non-candidates. |
| KPSEA and KJSEA 2026 | KPSEA: Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 October 2026. KJSEA: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. | Grade 6 (KPSEA) and Grade 9 (KJSEA), per the KNEC 2026 timetables. |
| KCSE 2026 | Monday 2 to Friday 20 November 2026 | Form 4 candidates, per the Ministry calendar. |
| Long Holiday | 24 October 2026 to 1 January 2027 | About 10 weeks for learners who are not sitting national assessments. |
2026 Public Holidays That Affect School Days
These public holidays fall during the year and mean no school when they land on a school day:
| Holiday | Date | Falls During |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 | Before Term 1 starts |
| Good Friday | Friday, 3 April 2026 | April holiday (the day after Term 1 closes) |
| Easter Monday | Monday, 6 April 2026 | April holiday |
| Labour Day | Friday, 1 May 2026 | Term 2 |
| Madaraka Day | Monday, 1 June 2026 | Term 2 |
| Utamaduni Day | Saturday, 10 October 2026 | Term 3 weekend (formerly Moi Day) |
| Mashujaa Day | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | Term 3 |
| Jamhuri Day | Saturday, 12 December 2026 | Long holiday |
| Christmas Day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Long holiday |
Islamic holidays (Idd ul Fitr, Idd ul Adha) are also observed as public holidays. Their dates depend on the lunar calendar. In 2026, Idd ul Fitr is expected around 20 March (Term 1) and Idd ul Adha around 27 May (Term 2). Check the gazette notice for confirmed dates.
Key Exam Dates to Watch
The national assessments start straight after Term 3 closes. The dates below are from the official KNEC 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA timetables, day by day:
- Rehearsal (KPSEA and KJSEA), Friday 23 October 2026.
- KPSEA (Grade 6), Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 October 2026. Five papers over three days.
- KJSEA (Grade 9), Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Written papers across the nine learning areas; the projects were done between May and July.
- KCSE (Form 4), Monday 2 to Friday 20 November 2026, per the Ministry calendar.
There is no KSSEA in 2026: the first CBE Grade 12 class sits it in 2028. KNEC publishes the KILEA and KPLEA timetables for learners with special needs separately, so confirm those with the school. KNEC has not yet announced results dates.
What to revise from before those dates
Knowing the date is the easy part. Our KJSEA and KPSEA courses are what a candidate actually works through in the run-in: full notes for every strand of the whole cycle, predictive papers in the KNEC format with the questions only, and a separate answer booklet so a parent can mark without the learner seeing the answers first.
How to Use This Calendar for Revision Planning
Smart parents and teachers use the school calendar to plan revision strategically:
Term 1 Strategy (13 weeks)
- Weeks 1-10: Learn new content, keep up with assignments
- Weeks 11-12: Revision using past papers and notes
- Week 13 (end of March to 2 April): End-of-term exams
- April Holiday (3 to 26 April): Review Term 1 weak areas, preview Term 2 topics
Term 2 Strategy (14 weeks)
- Weeks 1-11: New content + strengthening Term 1 foundations
- Weeks 12-13: Revision period
- Week 14 (ending 31 July): End-of-term exams
- August Holiday (1 to 23 August): Major revision for Grade 9 KJSEA candidates. All other grades review Terms 1 & 2.
Term 3 Strategy (9 weeks)
- Weeks 1-6 (24 August to early October): Final new content + revision begins
- Weeks 7-9 (5 to 23 October): Intensive revision for exam classes; rehearsal on Friday 23 October
- Term Closes Friday 23 October
- 26 October to 20 November: National assessments (KPSEA 26 to 28 October, KJSEA 26 to 30 October, KCSE 2 to 20 November)
- Long Holiday (24 October to 1 January 2027): Relax, then preview next year's content in the final week
Frequently Asked Questions
How many weeks is each school term in Kenya?
In the 2026 calendar, Term 1 is 13 weeks (5 January to 2 April), Term 2 is 14 weeks (27 April to 31 July), and Term 3 is 9 weeks (24 August to 23 October). The national assessments follow straight after Term 3: KPSEA 26 to 28 October, KJSEA 26 to 30 October, and KCSE 2 to 20 November.
When are the KJSEA exams in 2026?
KJSEA 2026 written papers run from Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026, after a rehearsal on Friday 23 October, per the revised KNEC timetable. KPSEA (Grade 6) runs Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 October. The paper-by-paper timetable is in our official KNEC calendar guide.
Are mid-term breaks mandatory for all schools?
The Ministry of Education provides official mid-term break dates, but not all schools observe them in the same way. Most schools give learners the weekend off but do not extend the break. Some private schools and boarding schools handle mid-term breaks differently. Confirm with your specific school.
Does the school calendar apply to both CBC (now CBE) and IGCSE schools in Kenya?
The Ministry of Education school calendar applies to all schools registered under the CBC (now CBE) system. IGCSE and Cambridge schools in Kenya often follow the same term dates for convenience, but their examination schedule is different, Cambridge exams are held in May/June and October/November, set by Cambridge Assessment International Education, not KNEC. IGCSE schools may adjust their internal calendar around these exam windows.
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