Due to the ongoing floods the government has made the decision to extend both the second and third term school dates of the current academic year.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination, slated to commence in November for Form Four candidates, will proceed as scheduled and remain unaffected by the adjustments to the school calendar.
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Initially, according to this year’s education schedule, nursery, primary, and secondary schools were set to resume their second term on April 29. However, this reopening was pushed back to today, May 6, due to the flooding.
During a national address on Friday, President William Ruto announced the indefinite postponement of all school reopenings. However, he did not provide details regarding the continuity of online learning, which was previously employed during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools remained closed for over seven months.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu assured that online learning can continue. He acknowledged the limitation of learning devices but reassured parents that efforts are being made to ensure that education continues seamlessly.
He encouraged students, particularly Form Fours, to remain engaged in their studies while at home.
The academic calendar for this year indicates that the first term spanned 13 weeks from January 8 to April 5, with a mid-term break from February 29 to March 3, followed by a three-week holiday from April 6 to 28.
KCSE students preparing for an exam
The second term, originally scheduled to last 14 weeks from April 29 to August 2, is the longest term. A mid-term break was planned from June 20 to June 23, with a three-week holiday from August 5 to 25. However, the current flooding situation has disrupted this term, leading to its indefinite postponement.
The third term, which is the shortest, is set to commence on August 26 and run for nine weeks, ending on October 25.
National examinations, including the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), are slated for October 28 to 31.
Due to the phasing out of the 8-4-4 system, there will be no candidates sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) this year, as the last cohort has transitioned to Form 1.
Mr. Machogu clarified that the KCSE exams will not be postponed at this time. He expressed optimism that the rains will subside soon, allowing for the reopening of schools once conditions improve.
