Learners across the country will break for the first term half-term holiday between February 25 and March 1, 2026, just weeks after schools reopened for the new academic year.
The five-day break, as outlined in the Ministry of Education’s 2026 academic calendar, comes amid a busy first term that officially began on January 5, 2026, following the end of the long December holiday. Millions of learners in pre-primary, primary, junior secondary, senior secondary schools, as well as those in universities and tertiary institutions, reported back to school to begin the new academic cycle.
According to the ministry, the first term will run for 13 weeks, culminating in the April holiday. After the half-term break, learners will resume classes to complete the remainder of the term before schools close on April 2, 2026. This will be followed by a three-week April holiday, with the second term scheduled to start on April 27, 2026.
The reopening of schools has placed significant pressure on parents and guardians, many of whom spent the festive season preparing school fees, uniforms, books and other learning materials. For most families, the transition from the holiday season to the academic calendar has been demanding, especially given the rising cost of living.
The 2026 academic year is particularly significant due to the continued rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system. The pioneer cohort transitioning to junior secondary school is expected to report to their respective institutions by January 12, 2026. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that over 1.13 million learners sat for the assessments, with nearly equal numbers of boys and girls.
The ministry has directed that all Grade 10 admissions be conducted strictly through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), emphasising that no learner should be entered into the system before physically reporting to school. Daily online reporting will be monitored to ensure compliance.
As the term progresses, education stakeholders are closely watching how schools manage the packed calendar amid ongoing reforms in the education sector.
