Kenya’s 2026 School Calendar and Reopening Schedule

Kenyan schools will reopen on 5 January 2026 for the first term of the academic year, according to the Ministry of Education’s official calendar.

The first term will run for 13 weeks and end on 2 April, followed by a three-week holiday. A mid-term break is scheduled from 25 February to 1 March. The second term is set to begin on 27 April, continuing the academic cycle across all education levels, from pre-primary to universities.

As the reopening approaches, many families have spent the holiday period preparing for the new term. Parents and guardians have been purchasing uniforms, textbooks and other learning materials.

The 2026 academic year is notable for the progression of learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework. Learners moving to Grade 10 are required to report to junior secondary schools by 12 January. 

The Ministry of Education confirmed that 1,130,459 candidates sat the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) in 2025, including 578,630 boys and 551,829 girls. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said all Grade 10 admissions will be conducted through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). 

The ministry directed that both public and private schools must admit learners through the system and that no learner should be entered into KEMIS before reporting to school in person. Schools are also required to submit daily online reports, which will be monitored by the ministry.