Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has confirmed that all basic education institutions across the country will reopen for the Third Term on August 24, dismissing claims of an altered the academic calendar.
In a statement issued on August 19, the CS Ogamba clarified that reports circulating on social media regarding changes to school opening dates were false.
Further, he reassured parents, teachers and learners that the approved 2026 academic calendar remains unchanged.
“Our attention has been drawn to misleading information circulating on various social media platforms, purporting that the academic calendar for basic education institutions and Teacher Training Colleges has been changed. We wish to clarify that the academic calendar for basic education institutions and Teacher Training Colleges remains unchanged,” CS Ogamba explained.
The clarification comes ahead of the reopening of schools after the three-week August holiday, with education stakeholders seeking certainty on the start of the final term of the academic year.
CS Ogamba on Basic Education Schools Reopening
According to the Ministry of Education, all pre-primary, primary, junior school, senior school and secondary school learners are expected to report back to school on August 24.
The Third Term will run for nine weeks and conclude on October 23, 2026. The ministry emphasized that schools should continue preparing to reopen in line with the approved calendar.
Ogamba noted that the government had not announced any revisions to term dates and urged the public to disregard unofficial information being shared online.
The CS also emphasized that the third term is a crucial academic period, particularly for learners preparing to sit national assessments and examinations later in the year.
Teacher Training Colleges Calendar
In addition to confirming the opening dates for the Basic Education Institutions, the Cabinet Secretary also confirmed that Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) will reopen on August 24.
The colleges will remain in session until November 6, when the trainees will complete an 11-week third term as per the approved academic calendar.
Education officials have been directed to continue implementing the existing schedule and provide accurate information to institutions under their jurisdiction.
National Exams and Assessment
According to the Ministry of Education, all national assessments and examinations will take place as directed by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Students will undertake the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) scheduled for October 26 to October 29, 2026.
On the other hand, the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) will run from October 26 to October 30.
The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) are set to be conducted between October 26 and November 5, 2026.
Meanwhile, candidates sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination will begin their tests on November 2, with the exercise ending on November 20, 2026.
Full Term Three Dates and Schedule
| Category | Opening Date | Closing/End Date | Duration |
| Basic Education Institutions (Pre-Primary, Primary, Junior, Senior and Secondary Schools) | 24 August 2026 | 23 October 2026 | 9 Weeks |
| Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) | 24 August 2026 | 6 November 2026 | 11 Weeks |
| Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) | 26 October 2026 | 29 October 2026 | 4 Days |
| Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) | 26 October 2026 | 30 October 2026 | 5 Days |
| Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) | 26 October 2026 | 5 November 2026 | 11 Days |
| Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) | 26 October 2026 | 5 November 2026 | 11 Days |
| Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) | 2 November 2026 | 20 November 2026 | 3 Weeks |
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