Ministry of Education unveils 2024 School Calendar

Students brave the morning rains on their way home along Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi on March 16, 2023. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Ministry of Education has unveiled the school calendar for 2024, detailing the schedules for pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, and teachers' training colleges.

The circular, dated October 13 and issued by Director General Elyas Abdi, says the 13-week first term starts on January 8 and ends on April 5.

Students will enjoy a mid-term break from February 29 to March 3, followed by a three-week holiday from April 6 to 26.

The second term, the longest of the three, will commence on April 29 and run for 14 weeks until August 2.

A three-day mid-term break is scheduled from June 20 to June 23. Subsequently, students will have a three-week holiday from August 5 to 25.

The third term will begin on August 26, covering nine weeks and ending on October 25.

National exams, including the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) examinations, are scheduled from October 28 to 31.

However, this will be the first time in more than 30 years that the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education will not be conducted.

This follows the phase-out of the 8-4-4 education system at the primary school level.

The 2023 cohort will be the last lot of learners to sit the KCPE exams.

On the other hand, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will follow, taking place from November 4 to November 22, 2024.

A long holiday will then begin on October 28, 2024, and last until January 3, 2025.

Teachers' training colleges will also operate on a three-term system. Term one will commence on January 8, 2024, and conclude on April 5, 2024. A three-week holiday will follow from April 8 to 26.

Term two will start on April 29 and extend until August 2, with another holiday planned from August 5 to 30.

The third term for teachers' training colleges will open on August 26, running until November 8, before teachers and students embark on an extended holiday from November 11 to January 3, 2025.