New Official School Closing Dates
New Official School Closing Dates. On October 13, 2023, the Ministry of Education proactively issued a new circular to district and district governors, signaling the early closure of elementary and middle schools for the third semester vacation. The initial plan was to shut schools on October 27, 2023, a date that coincided with KCPE and KPSEA candidate training. Consequently, the Ministry of Education wisely decided to postpone the closing date by two days, aligning it with the schools’ reopening next year.
In the upcoming academic calendar, preschool, elementary, and junior high schools will wrap up on October 25, 2024. This adjustment aims to free up space for school activities during national assessments. An essential change for the forthcoming year is the substitution of the KCPE exam with the KPSEA and KILEA exams. Detailed in the circular are the trimester durations: the first for 13 weeks, the second for 14 weeks, and the third for 9 weeks. These modifications in school closing dates bear considerable weight as they significantly influence the National Examination timetable.
Early Closures Ahead
Looking at the upcoming exams, candidates in the 6th and 8th grades will undertake the KPSEA and KCPE exams from October 30 to November 2, 2023. Simultaneously, the KCSE exams will initiate on November 3 and extend until November 24, 2023.
This term holds a particular significance as it marks the final cohort of KCPE students under the 8-4-4 system, replaced by the 2-6-3-3-3 competency-based curriculum. Notably, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) anticipates a participation of over 3.5 million candidates in the national examination, encompassing qualified candidates for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), and Kenya Basic Education Assessment (KPSEA).
We’ve meticulously planned exam preparations. KCPE and KPSEA candidates will engage in practice on October 27, 2023, with testing at both levels commencing on October 30 and concluding on November 1, 2023. The KCSE exam is set to commence on October 23, 2023, and will continue through November 24, 2023.
Crucially, the Ministry of Education maintains a steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety of candidates in areas affected by robberies and terrorist attacks during the examination. This commitment underscores the paramount importance of the students’ welfare during this critical period.