The official 2026 school term dates for pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools and Diploma Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) have been published. Below is a clear summary of opening and closing dates, half-term breaks and major assessment windows to help teachers, parents and school administrators plan the academic year.
Key Takeaways
- The school year starts on 6 January 2026 for both basic education institutions and Diploma TTCs.
- There are three main terms for schools and for TTCs, with scheduled half-term and long holidays in April, August and December.
- National assessments (KPSEA, KILEA, KJSEA, KPLEA and KCSE) fall in late October and November. Schools should prepare accordingly.
- Activities and visits to secondary schools remain banned during the third term as per the circular.
Pre-primary, Primary, Junior, Senior and Secondary Schools — 2026 school term dates
Below are the official dates and durations for the three terms in 2026. Use these to plan lessons, assessments and holidays.
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Term I
- Opening: 6 January 2026
- Closing: 2 April 2026
- Duration: 13 weeks
- Half term: 25 February 2026 – 1 March 2026 (5 days)
- April holiday: 7 April 2026 – 24 April 2026 (3 weeks)
-
Term II
- Opening: 27 April 2026
- Closing: 31 July 2026
- Duration: 14 weeks
- Half term: 24 June 2026 – 28 June 2026 (5 days)
- August holiday: 3 August 2026 – 21 August 2026 (3 weeks)
-
Term III
- Opening: 24 August 2026
- Closing: 23 October 2026
- Duration: 9 weeks
- KPSEA: 26 October 2026 – 29 October 2026 (4 days)
- KILEA: 26 October 2026 – 30 October 2026 (5 days)
- KJSEA & KPLEA: 26 October 2026 – 5 November 2026 (7 days)
- KCSE: 2 November 2026 – 20 November 2026 (3 weeks)
- December holiday: 26 October 2026 – 1 January 2027 (10 weeks) — note overlap with exam windows; schools should follow assessment schedules closely.
Diploma Teachers Training Colleges academic calendar (2026)
TTCs follow a similar structure but with slightly different third-term dates and holiday lengths. This calendar applies to Diploma-level teacher training institutions.
- Term I: 6 January 2026 – 2 April 2026 (13 weeks)
- April holiday: 7 April 2026 – 24 April 2026 (3 weeks)
- Term II: 27 April 2026 – 31 July 2026 (14 weeks)
- August holiday: 3 August 2026 – 21 August 2026 (3 weeks)
- Term III: 24 August 2026 – 6 November 2026 (11 weeks)
- December holiday: 9 November 2026 – 1 January 2027 (8 weeks)
Important administrative notes
The circular directs that this schedule be distributed to all basic education institutions within each jurisdiction. School leaders must share the dates with staff, parents and learners and update school calendars.
Safety and oversight: Activities and visits to secondary schools in the third term of 2026 remain banned, in line with earlier directives. Schools should plan internal programmes that do not require external visits during this period.
Assessments: National assessments (KPSEA, KILEA, KJSEA, KPLEA and KCSE) are scheduled from late October into November. Schools should finalise timetables and revision programmes early and inform learners and parents of exam-related arrangements.
How to use the 2026 school term dates for planning
- Set teaching schemes and term programs around the start and end dates of each term.
- Schedule continuous assessment and mock exams before national assessment windows in October–November.
- Allocate the half-term breaks for remedial lessons or teacher professional development.
- Communicate holiday and exam dates to parents well in advance to reduce disruptions.
Resources for teachers and learners
Use free revision and curriculum resources to support learning throughout the year. For CBC-aligned practice and past paper resources, consult the CBC exam materials and subject revisions:
- Free CBC exam papers and practice tests for termly practice and assessment.
- KCSE past papers and revision exams to prepare senior school learners for national examinations.
- KCPE practice papers for primary-level assessment and preparations.
The 2026 school term dates provide a clear framework for the academic year. Schools should circulate these dates, align schemes of work and ensure learners receive timely exam preparation, while observing the restrictions on visits and activities during term three.
Circular signed: Amb. (Prof) Julius K. Bitok, CBS — Principal Secretary.
