Education Ministry dismisses reports of changes to 2026 school calendar

The Ministry of Education has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the 2026 academic calendar for basic education institutions and Teacher Training Colleges has been changed.

Yesterday, Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the school calendar remains unchanged and urged parents, teachers, learners and the public to disregard the misleading information.

“Our attention has been drawn to misleading information circulating on various social media platforms, purporting that the academic calendar for basic education institutions and Teacher Training Colleges has been changed,” Ogamba said.

He clarified that basic education institutions will reopen for the third term on August 24, 2026, with the term running until October 23, 2026.

Teacher Training Colleges will also reopen on August 24, but their third term will run for a longer period, ending on November 6, 2026.

The CS further confirmed that national assessments and examinations will proceed as planned in accordance with the timetable issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

Ogamba urged stakeholders in the education sector to rely on official communication from the Ministry of Education and its field officers for accurate and timely information.

He cautioned the public against relying on unverified messages circulating on social media, particularly those relating to changes in the school calendar.

The clarification comes days before schools are expected to resume for the third term, as learners and teachers prepare to return following the scheduled break.

The ministry reiterated that there has been no change to the dates previously communicated and that schools should proceed with preparations for the third term as scheduled.