The Ministry of Education has set reopening dates, term breaks and national examination schedules for schools in 2027.
The Ministry of Education has released the 2027 school calendar, setting January 4 as the opening date. The schedule covers all pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools.
Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa signed the circular addressed to regional, county and sub-county education directors. It sets out term dates, holiday periods and the November national examination timetable.
2027 school calendar: Term dates and breaks
Pre-primary, primary and junior schools will complete their first term on April 9 after 14 weeks. Meanwhile, senior and secondary schools will close on April 2 after 13 weeks of learning.
The first-term half-term break will run from February 19 to February 28. Learners will also take an April holiday before schools reopen for the second term on May 3.
Term Two will last 13 weeks, ending on July 30. During that term, learners will take a midterm break from June 9 to June 20.
Schools will then close for a four-week holiday from July 31 to August 29. Classes will resume on August 30 for the third term, which runs for 10 weeks until November 5.
Unlike the first two terms, Term Three will have no midterm break. The ministry has scheduled national assessments and examinations for November.
National assessments and KCSE examination dates
Four national assessments will run over five days, from November 1 to November 5. These include the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
The Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) and Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) will follow the same timetable. These assessments therefore fall within the final week of the third term.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations will then begin on November 8 and end on November 26. Candidates will sit the examinations over three consecutive weeks.
The 2027 KCSE examinations will mark the final examination cycle under the 8:4:4 curriculum. This comes as the government transitions to Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Meanwhile, the long end-of-year school holiday will begin on November 6. It will run for two months, ending on January 3, 2028.
