Learners across Kenya are approaching the mid-term break of the second term of the 2026 academic calendar, following a period of student unrest that prompted calls for a calendar change.
The Ministry of Education calendar shows that Term 2 began on April 27 and is scheduled to run until July 31, 2026.
During this period, learners will take a five-day mid-term break from June 24 to June 28, then return to class on June 29 to continue learning until the end of the term.
The break comes at a time when many schools are in the middle of syllabus coverage and continuous assessments.
Teachers and learners are also preparing for end-of-term examinations, which will be done before the August holiday.
Key Term 2 Dates:
- Term 2 Opening Date: April 27, 2026
- Mid-Term Break: June 24–28, 2026
- Classes Resume: June 29, 2026
- Term 2 Closing Date: July 31, 2026
- August Holiday: August 3–21, 2026
- Term 3 Opening Date: August 24, 2026
These dates are part of the official school calendar issued by the Ministry of Education for all basic learning institutions.
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Term 2 Remains the Longest in the School Year
Term 2 is the longest school term in the 2026 academic year, lasting 14 weeks. The extended period allows schools enough time to cover a large portion of the syllabus and conduct academic and co-curricular activities.
The school calendar was communicated on October 9, 2025, by former Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok.
The schedule applies to all institutions under basic education, including pre-primary schools, primary schools, junior schools, senior secondary schools, and Diploma Teachers Training Colleges (DTTCs).
The Ministry of Education said the early release of the calendar helps schools organize teaching programs, examinations, and extracurricular events without confusion.
Term 2 Activities Calendar for Schools Countrywide
The Term 2 National Schools Games and Sports Championships will be held in the Central Region, with Kiambu County’s Thika Municipality hosting the event.
A referees’ clinic has been scheduled for July 25–26, while participating teams are expected to arrive on July 26. The official opening ceremony will be held on July 28 at Mpesa Academy. Competitions will take place from July 28 to August 1, before the closing ceremony and teams’ departure on August 1–2.
| Category | Disciplines |
| Secondary Schools (U18) | Soccer, Volleyball, Netball, Rugby 7s, Badminton, Table Tennis, Chess, Scrabble |
| Special Secondary Schools | SNE Ball Games |
| Junior Schools (U15) | Soccer, Volleyball, Netball, Handball, Basketball 3×3 |
| Primary Schools (U12) | Soccer, Volleyball, Netball, Handball |
| Special Primary Schools | SNE Ball Games |
The Kenya Music Festivals will be held at Kibabii University in Bungoma County, Western Region, from August 1 to August 14.
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The opening ceremony is scheduled for August 2, while performances and competitions will run from August 2 to August 10. Gala concerts will be staged on August 11 and 12, followed by the State Concert on August 13. Participants are expected to depart on August 14.
The Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) program will begin with a training camp in Kajiado from August 2 to August 12. This will be followed by the FEASSA Championships in Tanzania from August 12 to August 23.
The East Africa Music, Dance and Drama Festival will be hosted in Soroti, Uganda, from August 15 to August 25.
Festival activities will take place between August 18 and August 23, with participating teams scheduled to depart on August 24.
Government Rules Out Changes to School Calendar
The government confirmed that the 2026 school calendar will proceed as planned despite concerns of rising cases of student unrest in some boarding schools.
Speaking on June 8 during a school inspection exercise in Nairobi, former Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said learning programs would continue uninterrupted and that isolated incidents of indiscipline would not affect national education schedules.
Bitok dismissed calls to review the term dates and maintained that schools would close for the mid-term break as earlier announced.
“We will not change the dates because of a few students attempting to disrupt learning in our schools. The school calendar will remain unchanged. Half-term break will begin on 24th of June as earlier communicated,” Julius Bitok said.
According to the former PS, cases of unrest had been reported in about 80 schools out of approximately 9,500 institutions across the country, indicating that many schools continue to operate normally.
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