Schools will open on August 24 as scheduled, Ogamba says

Students heading home during recent demonstrations. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The Ministry of Education said the official academic calendar remains unchanged.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 19, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba insists that learners will return to school on Monday, August 24, 2026.

The CS has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the reopening of schools for the third term has been postponed, warning parents, teachers, learners and education stakeholders against relying on unauthorised online notices.

“We wish to clarify that the academic calendar for Basic Education institutions and Teacher Training Colleges remains unchanged,” the CS said.

The clarification comes two days before the scheduled reopening of schools, amid reports circulating on social media platforms suggesting that the government had pushed back the start of Term III.

"Our attention has been drawn to misleading information circulating  on various social media platforms, purporting that the academic calendar for basic education institutions and Teachers Training Colleges has been changed," he stated.

The Ministry termed the reports “FALSE” and urged members of the public to completely disregard them.

Ogamba said the Ministry had directed Regional Directors of Education, County Directors of Education and Sub-County Directors of Education to ensure strict compliance with the approved academic calendar contained in a circular dated October 9, 2025.

According to the Ministry, pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools will begin Term III on Monday, August 24. The term will run for nine weeks and end on October 23, 2026.

The reopening marks the final academic term of the school year, with schools expected to implement the approved programmes as they prepare learners for the end-of-year national assessments and examinations.

Diploma Teachers Training Colleges will also resume academic operations on August 24, with their third term scheduled to conclude on November 6, 2026.

The Ministry further confirmed that the national assessment and examination calendar has not been altered for KPSEA, KILEA, KJSEA, KPLEA and KCSE are scheduled to begin from October 26, 2026, as earlier announced.

The Ministry also reminded schools that extracurricular activities and visits to secondary schools will remain banned during Term III.

The latest clarification is part of efforts by the government to prevent confusion among parents, learners and teachers as schools prepare to reopen.

Ogamba urged education stakeholders to obtain information through official Ministry communication channels, rather than social media posts whose authenticity cannot be established.

“Parents, teachers and learners and members of the public are advised to strictly rely on the Ministry's official communication channels and field officers for accurate information," he said.