NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 27 – The current academic year in Kenya, will arguably be the shortest in recent school history.
Thousands of learners in primary and secondary schools on Monday dusted off their school uniforms, gears, and other essentials as they prepared to return to school amidst a ‘marathon’ academic year.
On the bright side, from an administration point of view, the traditional school calendar kicking off in January and ending in December is expected to resume next year after being disrupted for nearly two years by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, despite two national exams being administered already, education stakeholders are now preparing for three major exams towards the tail end of the year.
Candidates in grade six transitioning to junior secondary school will sit for their assessment in November alongside KCPE candidates. Form four candidates will also sit their exams between November and December 2022.
“Sub-county directors of education will meet on Tuesday for briefing process of ensuring that all the candidates who are eligible for grade six, class eight and form 4 examinations in November-December are registered,” he said.
Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. David Njeng’ere has reminded parents to ensure that their children have registered for the exams.
The registration window is expected to open next week on Wednesday, April, 27, and will close on May, 14, 2022.
“Please take it as your responsibility to find out whether your child has been registered for these exams. Sometimes, it is very challenging, when parents are calling a day before the exams to say, I have just discovered that my child is not registered for the exams,” said Njeng’ere.
At the same time, Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr, Julius Jwan has warned schools against demanding money for the registration exercise.
“Nobody should charge any learner whether from private or public schools any money for registration of three exams, grade 6, standard 8 and form 4… so, nobody should make a mistake of telling a parent to bring money for that registration,” he said.
New Academic Calendar
This year’s academic year is expected to be completed in at least 30 weeks compared to the 2021 calendar where learners were in school for a period of at least 30 weeks.
The Ministry of Education officials have advised teachers to devise a flexible schedule that will see them cover the syllabus in time.
According to a circular from the Education Ministry, the term will stretch from April 25 and ends on July 1. Learners will then proceed on a half-term break for three days from May 26 to 29, 2022.
From July 2 to 10 learners will break for a week-long holiday and resume studies for the second term on July 11.
A mid-term break will then be from August 11 to 14 as the second holiday for learners will be from September 17 to 25,2022.
The third and final term in the academic calendar will then begin on September 26 and end on November 25.
According to KNEC, candidates sitting their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam, will do so from November 28 to December 1, 2022.
Candidates sitting their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam will do so from December 1 to 23,2022.
Basic Education PS Dr Julius Jwan has meanwhile urged school principals to be ‘gentle’ on parents and not to deny their children access to schools over school fees.
“I want to plead with principals, especially in our secondary schools…the government has already remitted money for capitation to schools. Sh16billion for secondary and Sh2 billion for primary. Principals of boarding schools should treat parents gently, there are parents who may come with less money, there are those who may not have enough, please let the learners get into school because we are going to have a fairly short year so that the learners do not waste time at home,” he said.
Alternatively, principals and parents have been urged to come up with a payment schedule indicating when they will pay any arrears for students in boarding schools.
Students joining form one are expected in school on May 3, 2022.
Want to send us a story? Contact Shahidi News Tel: +254115512797 (Mobile & WhatsApp)
