The Ministry of Education has unveiled the 2025 academic calendar, outlining critical dates for learning, holidays, and national assessments.
This schedule provides a roadmap for schools, students, and parents, to ensure a smooth academic year across the country.
Key 2025 Term Dates
The 2025 school year will follow a structured three-term system:
- Term 1: Schools will reopen on January 6, 2025, and close on April 4 after 13 weeks of learning. A half-term break is scheduled from February 26 to March 2.
- Term 2: Students will return for Term 2 on April 28. This 14-week term will end on August 1, with a half-term break from June 25 to 29.
- Term 3: The final term will begin on August 25 and run for nine weeks, concluding on October 24.
School holidays are placed between terms, with three-week breaks in April and August.
A longer December holiday will begin on October 27, coinciding with the onset of national exams and continuing until January 2, 2026.
National Examination Schedule
The calendar also includes detailed timelines for national assessments:
- KPSEA: October 27–30 (4 days)
- KILEA: October 27–31 (5 days)
- KJSEA and KPLEA: October 27–November 6 (9 days)
- KCSE: November 3–23
KCSE exams will start a week later than other assessments to ensure adequate preparation time for candidates.
Government Focus on Infrastructure
To accommodate the growing number of learners, the government has committed to completing 11,000 new classrooms by December 2024.
The additional facilities will support the increased enrollment brought by the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and reduce pressure on existing infrastructure.
The construction is especially significant for Grade 9 learners, the pioneer cohort of the CBC system. These students will transition into their final year of junior school in 2025, marking a key milestone in the CBC curriculum.
Transition to Senior School
The Grade 9 class will be the first group to undertake the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), an important assessment that determines their readiness for senior school.
Over 1.3 million students are part of this historic cohort, whose performance will shape the future of CBC implementation.Education experts are optimistic about the CBC’s potential to enhance practical skills and critical thinking among learners.
However, the transition has faced challenges, including limited teacher training and inadequate facilities. The government’s push to expand classroom capacity aims to address these issues ahead of the busy academic year.
Parents are encouraged to review the academic calendar carefully and plan for the upcoming term dates, half-term breaks, and examination periods.