PS Kipsang: First, second school terms to last 14 weeks

Education PS Belio Kipsang displays document when he appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee at Parliament on Thursday 02/03/17 over supplementary budget.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

Next year’s school and colleges calendar has been released as the Government also revealed details about the free secondary school education programme.

All primary and secondary schools will open for the first term of the year on January 2, 2018.

The learning period will last 14 weeks and schools will close on April 6.

A Ministry of Education circular released by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang says the second term will start on April 30.

This term will also last 14 weeks before ending on August 3.

Half term for secondary schools has been scheduled for February 24 to March 4 for first term and June 16 to 24 for second term. 

Third term will begin on August 27 and run until October 26. 

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations have been planned to run between October 29 and November 1, 2018.

And Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, according to the schedule, will kick off on November 5 and run through to November 30. 

The circular dated October 19 also says teacher training colleges – both diploma and certificate training institutions – will open for similar periods as basic education institutions for first and second term. 

Third term for these colleges will begin on August 27 and end on November 8, amounting to 10 weeks of study.

The details are contained in the same guidelines document spelling out fees payable in secondary schools starting January.

According to the guidelines, no fees have been levied on day secondary schools.

Parents will not pay any money for children admitted to secondary schools but they will be required to settle all outstanding fees balances.

The circular states that the Government will pay Sh22,244 per secondary school student in both day and boarding schools.

This means each day school students will get an additional Sh9,374 on top of the Sh12,870 they receive presently.

This adjustment effectively caters for all day secondary school fees.

The maximum fees payable for boarding schools will be Sh53,000 after a Government subsidy per child, per year.

National and extra-county schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret will be covered under this rate.

Fees for other boarding schools have been set at Sh40,545.