Kenyan learners are currently on the August holiday and are expected to return to school later this month for the third and final term of the 2026 academic year.
According to the 2026 school calendar, Term 3 will commence on Monday, August 24, 2026, marking the start of a critical period for candidates preparing for national examinations.
The term will be particularly important for learners sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) examinations.
Term 3 Opening Dates and Key Days for Candidates
The term runs from Monday, August 24, to October 23, 2026, after which national examinations begin
The Ministry of Education calendar shows that national assessments will begin from October 26, 2026, with candidates across different levels expected to sit their examinations during the final weeks of the academic year.
Candidates sitting the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) are scheduled to take their examinations from October 26 to October 28, 2026.
The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which is administered to Grade 9 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), is scheduled to run from October 26 to October 30, 2026.
Form Four candidates sitting the KCSE examinations will begin their exams on November 2, 2026, with the examination period ending on November 20, 2026.
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What Candidates Should Expect
Term 3 is traditionally regarded as the most demanding term in Kenya’s education calendar as it culminates in national examinations that determine learners’ progression to the next level of education.
For Grade 6 learners, KPSEA results contribute to placement decisions in junior school, while KJSEA results play a key role in placement into senior school pathways under the Competency-Based Curriculum. KCSE candidates, meanwhile, will be seeking grades that determine admission to universities, colleges and other post-secondary institutions.
Schools are expected to use the opening weeks of Term 3 for revision, completion of syllabuses and administration of internal assessments before candidates sit their respective national examinations.
Important Term 3 Dates at a Glance
| Activity | Date |
| Term 3 Opens | August 24, 2026 |
| KJSEA Begins | October 26, 2026 |
| KPSEA Begins | October 26, 2026 |
| KPSEA Ends | October 28, 2026 |
| KCSE Begins | November 2, 2026 |
| KJSEA Ends | October 30, 2026 |
| KCSE Ends | November 20, 2026 |
The 2026 academic calendar is divided into three terms. Term One ran from January 6 to April 2, spanning 13 weeks and included a five-day mid-term break from February 25 to March 1.
Term Three, which ends on October 23, is the shortest term of the year at just nine weeks.
Despite its shorter duration, it is expected to be the busiest as it precedes the administration of national examinations.
Also Read: KNEC Issues Grade 10 Subject Selection Rules All Schools Must Follow
The Ministry of Education has scheduled the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) from October 26 to October 28.
The Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) will be administered from October 26 to October 29.
Following the examinations, learners will proceed for the December holiday, which runs from October 26 to January 1, 2027, a period of ten weeks.
Education Ministry Set to Review Term Duration
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced plans to review the school calendar beginning next year, with the second term expected to be restructured as part of measures aimed at creating a more balanced academic year.
The proposed changes followed concerns that the second term was longer than the others, a situation that the Ministry of Education believes may be contributing to learner burnout and disciplinary challenges in schools.
The review was part of wider interventions introduced by the Ministry of Education after unrest was reported in 204 senior secondary schools nationwide.
“Starting next academic year, the ministry shall rationalize the school calendar to ensure that the terms are balanced and that the second term is not as long as it has been,” Ogamba said.
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