Kenya’s 2026 term dates place Term 1 from Monday, 5 January to Thursday, 2 April, Term 2 from Monday, 27 April to Friday, 31 July, and Term 3 from Monday, 24 August to Friday, 23 October for pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools. Diploma teacher training colleges follow the same second-term opening and closing dates but continue Term 3 to Friday, 6 November. National assessment and examination dates are set separately by KNEC.
Table of Contents
2026 term dates for Kenyan schools
The table below gives the main term dates for public basic education institutions in Kenya. These term dates are the national planning baseline for the 2026 school year. They cover pre-primary, primary, junior school, senior school and the remaining secondary-school classes. A school may issue reporting instructions for boarders, new learners or staff, but it should not quietly replace the national calendar with different teaching dates.
| Calendar period | Opening date | Closing date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Monday, 5 January 2026 | Thursday, 2 April 2026 | 13 weeks |
| Term 1 half term | Wednesday, 25 February 2026 | Sunday, 1 March 2026 | 5 days |
| April holiday | Tuesday, 7 April 2026 | Friday, 24 April 2026 | 3 weeks |
| Term 2 | Monday, 27 April 2026 | Friday, 31 July 2026 | 14 weeks |
| Term 2 half term | Wednesday, 24 June 2026 | Sunday, 28 June 2026 | 5 days |
| August holiday | Monday, 3 August 2026 | Friday, 21 August 2026 | 3 weeks |
| Term 3 | Monday, 24 August 2026 | Friday, 23 October 2026 | 9 weeks |
| December holiday | Monday, 26 October 2026 | Friday, 1 January 2027 | 10 weeks |
Current position: On 28 July 2026, these term dates placed schools in the final week of Term 2. The term closes on Friday, 31 July, and the August holiday begins on Monday, 3 August. Term 3 opens on Monday, 24 August 2026.
For school administration systems used around opening, registration and learner records, see the Ministry of Education portals guide. Schools updating learner information can also use the separate KEMIS portal guide and NEMIS login and UPI guide.
Diploma teacher training college term dates
Diploma teacher training college term dates have a different first-day date and a longer third term. Trainees should use the college notice for reporting time, accommodation and registration, while keeping the national TTC calendar as the main reference.
| TTC period | Opening date | Closing date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Tuesday, 6 January 2026 | Thursday, 2 April 2026 | 13 weeks |
| April holiday | Tuesday, 7 April 2026 | Friday, 24 April 2026 | 3 weeks |
| Term 2 | Monday, 27 April 2026 | Friday, 31 July 2026 | 14 weeks |
| August holiday | Monday, 3 August 2026 | Friday, 21 August 2026 | 3 weeks |
| Term 3 | Monday, 24 August 2026 | Friday, 6 November 2026 | 11 weeks |
| December holiday | Monday, 9 November 2026 | Friday, 1 January 2027 | 8 weeks |
The published TTC schedule does not list the basic-school half-term breaks in the same way. A college may still communicate approved internal breaks or activity dates, so trainees should confirm arrangements with the registrar rather than assuming that the primary and secondary school half-term dates apply.
Half-term and school holiday dates
The 2026 term dates include two five-day half-term breaks for basic education institutions. Term 3 is short and examination-focused, so the national calendar does not provide a separate Term 3 half term in the dates above.
- Term 1 half term: Wednesday, 25 February to Sunday, 1 March 2026.
- April holiday: Tuesday, 7 April to Friday, 24 April 2026.
- Term 2 half term: Wednesday, 24 June to Sunday, 28 June 2026.
- August holiday: Monday, 3 August to Friday, 21 August 2026.
- End-year holiday for basic schools: begins after Friday, 23 October 2026.
Parents should confirm the exact collection and reporting time with the school. Boarding schools may allocate travel periods around the national closing date, while day schools may communicate a normal dismissal time. A reporting instruction is not the same as an amended national term date.
KNEC examination and assessment windows in 2026
KNEC publishes examination timetables separately from the Ministry’s school calendar. The official timetable for each assessment is the controlling document for rehearsal, projects, practical work, written papers and candidate instructions. Do not use a social-media poster as the final authority.
| Assessment | Main written window | Important note | Official timetable |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPSEA | Monday, 26 October to Wednesday, 28 October 2026 | Rehearsal is listed for Friday, 23 October. | Download KPSEA timetable |
| KJSEA | Monday, 26 October to Thursday, 29 October 2026 | Projects and practical components begin earlier; follow the full timetable. | Download KJSEA timetable |
| KCSE | Monday, 2 November to Friday, 20 November 2026 | Oral, practical and project components may start before the main written papers. | Download KCSE timetable |
Use our KNEC exam timetables Downloads for the current timetable links and change notes. Learners moving from Grade 9 to Senior School can also follow the Senior School and Grade 10 guide and the KJSEA placement guide.
Public holidays that affect the 2026 school calendar
Public holidays can reduce the number of teaching days inside a term, but they do not automatically change the term dates or extend the closing date. Schools should adjust lesson pacing and internal activities without announcing extra holiday days unless the Ministry issues an amendment.
| Holiday | 2026 date | Calendar effect |
|---|---|---|
| Idd-ul-Fitr | Friday, 20 March | Falls within Term 1; the date was gazetted for 2026. |
| Good Friday and Easter Monday | Friday, 3 April and Monday, 6 April | Fall after Term 1 closes and before the listed April holiday period. |
| Labour Day | Friday, 1 May | Falls within Term 2. |
| Eid-ul-Adha | Wednesday, 27 May | Falls within Term 2; the date was gazetted for 2026. |
| Madaraka Day | Monday, 1 June | Falls within Term 2. |
| Mazingira Day | Saturday, 10 October | Falls within Term 3 but on a Saturday. |
| Mashujaa Day | Tuesday, 20 October | Falls in the final week of Term 3. |
Variable Islamic holidays should be treated as confirmed only after a Gazette notice. The fixed national holidays are listed in the Public Holidays Act. For 2026, Kenya Law published separate notices for Idd-ul-Fitr on 20 March and Eid-ul-Adha on 27 May.
Which schools must use these term dates?
The national term dates apply to the Kenyan public-school cycle covered by the Ministry: pre-primary, primary, junior school, senior school and secondary school. The TTC table applies to diploma teacher training colleges under the national calendar.
| Institution | Use this page? | What to confirm separately |
|---|---|---|
| Public basic education school | Yes | Reporting time, boarding travel and local instructions. |
| Private school using the Kenyan curriculum | Use as the national reference | Confirm the school’s approved calendar and any permitted variation. |
| International school | Not automatically | Use the school’s published academic calendar. |
| Diploma teacher training college | Use the TTC table | Registration, practicum and internal activity dates. |
| University or TVET institution | No | Use the institution’s senate or academic calendar. |
Senior School started with the Grade 10 transition in 2026, but it remains within the basic education calendar. Placement, admission and reporting instructions can have their own dates. Those operational dates should not be confused with the national school opening dates.
How teachers, parents and school administrators should use the calendar
For teachers
- Map schemes of work to the actual teaching weeks, excluding half terms and public holidays.
- Complete candidate projects and practical components according to the KNEC timetable, not only the term closing date.
- Leave recovery time for school events, assessment, marking and learner support.
- Update your lesson records when an official amendment changes available teaching days.
For parents and guardians
- Record the opening, half-term and closing dates before arranging travel.
- Ask the school for reporting time and transport instructions instead of relying on a forwarded poster.
- Check candidate timetables early when your child is in Grade 6, Grade 9 or Form 4.
- Keep admission and placement deadlines separate from ordinary school term dates.
For heads and administrators
- Place the national calendar, KNEC timetable and school activity plan in one controlled file.
- Communicate only dates that can be traced to an official circular, timetable or Gazette notice.
- Label local reporting arrangements clearly so parents do not mistake them for a national amendment.
- Retain the signed circular received through the County or Sub-County education office.
What to do when dates change or conflict
A genuine amendment to the term dates should come from the Ministry of Education or another legally authorised government source. A school WhatsApp message may communicate a local arrangement, but it is not enough evidence of a national change.
- If these term dates conflict with another calendar: use the latest dated Ministry circular and confirm through the County or Sub-County Director of Education.
- If a timetable link fails: open the KNEC timetables page and select the current assessment.
- If a school changes reporting: ask whether the change affects all learners, only boarders, new admissions or examination candidates.
- If a forwarded circular has no signature or reference: do not treat it as final.
- If a date is announced in the media: wait for the Ministry notice before changing official records.
Verification limitation: At the time checked, the Ministry website did not expose a stable direct download URL for the signed full 2026 term-date circular. Schools should compare this calendar with the signed circular distributed through education offices before using it for formal compliance records.
Frequently asked questions
When does Term 3 start in Kenya in 2026?
Term 3 starts on Monday, 24 August 2026 for basic education schools and diploma teacher training colleges. Basic schools close on Friday, 23 October, while diploma TTCs continue to Friday, 6 November.
When is the August holiday in 2026?
The listed August holiday runs from Monday, 3 August to Friday, 21 August 2026. Schools reopen for Term 3 on Monday, 24 August.
Are private schools required to follow the same term dates?
Private schools offering the Kenyan curriculum should use the national calendar as their main reference, but parents must confirm the school’s approved calendar. International schools may use a different academic year.
Does Term 3 have a half-term break?
The 2026 basic education calendar listed here does not show a separate Term 3 half term. Term 3 runs for nine weeks before national assessments and examinations begin.
When are KPSEA and KJSEA in 2026?
The main 2026 KPSEA papers run from 26 to 28 October. The main KJSEA written assessment runs from 26 to 29 October, with projects and practical components scheduled earlier in the year. Always use the full KNEC timetable.
When is KCSE 2026?
The main KCSE written papers run from Monday, 2 November to Friday, 20 November 2026. Oral, practical and project components may begin earlier, so candidates and schools must read the complete KNEC timetable.
Where can I download the official school calendar circular?
Check the Ministry of Education downloads page and communications from your County or Sub-County education office. A stable direct public URL for the signed full 2026 circular was not available when this guide was verified.
Related Teachers Kenya Hub guides
- Ministry of Education portals in Kenya
- KNEC examination timetables
- Senior School and Grade 10 guide
- KJSEA Grade 10 placement
- KEMIS portal login and registration
- NEMIS login, registration and UPI numbers
- Ministry of Education scholarships
Official sources
- Press Release — Reopening, Grade 10 and Capitation. Ministry of Education, 2 January 2026. The official indexed document confirmed the 5 January reopening; its direct PDF URL was not stable when checked. Ministry downloads. Checked 28 July 2026.
- 2026 KPSEA Timetable. Kenya National Examinations Council, 19 February 2026. Official PDF. Checked 28 July 2026.
- 2026 KJSEA Timetable and Instructions. Kenya National Examinations Council, 19 February 2026. Official PDF. Checked 28 July 2026.
- 2026 KCSE Examination Timetable, Instructions and Guidelines. Kenya National Examinations Council, 11 February 2026. Official PDF. Checked 28 July 2026.
- Public Holidays Act. Kenya Law. Official law. Checked 28 July 2026.
- Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXVIII No. 50. Government of Kenya, 18 March 2026; declared 20 March 2026 a public holiday for Idd-ul-Fitr. Official Gazette. Checked 28 July 2026.
- Kenya Gazette Special Issue No. 90. Government of Kenya, 25 May 2026; declared 27 May 2026 a public holiday for Eid-ul-Adha. Official Gazette. Checked 28 July 2026.
