The Ministry of Education has reaffirmed that schools will reopen for the third term on Monday, August 24, 2026, dismissing reports circulating on social media that the reopening date had been postponed.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, August 19, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the official academic calendar remains unchanged and urged learners, parents, teachers and education stakeholders to disregard unauthorised notices suggesting a change in the reopening schedule.
“The official term dates communicated earlier and also available in the ministry’s website remain unchanged,” Ogamba said.
The Cabinet Secretary said reports circulating on social media regarding the postponement of school opening dates were “FALSE” and should be completely disregarded.
The ministry said it had directed Regional Directors of Education, County Directors of Education and Sub-County Directors of Education to ensure schools comply with the approved academic calendar.
Term III will begin on August 24 and run for nine weeks, with pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools scheduled to close on October 23, 2026.
The ministry’s clarification comes as schools, parents and learners prepare for the final term of the 2026 academic year amid growing reliance on social media for information about education programmes and schedules.
Ogamba urged parents, teachers and learners to rely only on official communication from the Ministry of Education and avoid unauthorised online notices.
“Parents, teachers, and learners are urged to rely exclusively on official communication channels from the Ministry of Education and ignore unauthorized online notices,” the statement said.
The ministry also confirmed the reopening dates for Diploma Teacher Training Colleges. Academic operations at the institutions will resume on August 24 and continue until November 6, 2026.
National assessments and examinations will also proceed according to the previously announced timetable. The ministry confirmed that dates for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Integrated Learning Assessment (KILEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), Kenya Primary Leaving Education Assessment (KPLEA) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) remain as scheduled from October 26, 2026, onwards.
The ministry did not announce any changes to the examination calendar in its latest statement.
It also reminded schools that extracurricular activities and visits to secondary schools will remain banned during Term III.
The directive means schools are expected to organise their academic programmes within the approved term calendar while observing the restrictions on activities and visits.
The ministry said its education officers at regional, county and sub-county levels had been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the academic calendar.
The clarification is intended to end uncertainty among parents and learners following the circulation of claims suggesting that the third-term reopening date had been changed.
With schools expected to reopen on August 24, education officials are now required to ensure institutions are prepared to resume learning and that learners receive accurate information ahead of the final term.
The ministry reiterated that the previously issued academic calendar remains the authoritative schedule and urged the public to verify education-related information through official government communication channels.