The Ministry of Education has announced new half-term dates affecting primary and secondary school learners. As per the revised dates, learners will break for the mid-term break from 26 June to 28 June 2024.
Learners in boarding schools are expected to report back from the break on 30 June 2024.
Initially, learners were set to break for their mid-term between 20th June and 24th June 2024. The ministry has taken the initiative to revise the dates to compensate for the lost learning period.
Part of the statement on the new dates for the half-term break
The Principal Secretary of Education Belio Kipsang, directed County Directors of Education to communicate the changes to school heads. He noted that the changes may require adjustments to the activities and schedules of various schools.
The changes in mid-term break dates are an effort by the government to compensate for the lost learning period affected by flooding in various parts of the country.
School opening was initially scheduled for April 29, 2024, but the dates were postponed as a precautionary measure to protect learners from the heavy rains. Learners reported to school two weeks later, on May 13th, 2024, after the weather forecasters confirmed that the weather was conducive to learners’ movement.
The revision of school mid-term breaks also brings to Kenyans the question of whether the second-term learning period will be extended. While this was not discussed in the current statement, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Ezekiel Machogu had earlier declared that the second term would be extended for an unspecified period.
Learners in class
Machogu stated that the extension was necessary to allow schools to adequately cover the syllabus, especially for candidates sitting for exams this year. He hinted that the schools might not close for three weeks in August as earlier planned. However, the national examination dates will not change.
Meanwhile, JSS learners are still on their own despite the government’s measures to compensate for the lost learning period. The JSS teachers’ strike continues as learners take the initiative to study independently or seek help from their former teachers in their respective primary schools.
There could be hope for the resumption of learning in JSS after the Committee on Education and Research recommended that the 26,000 JSS intern teachers be employed on permanent terms. The teachers vowed to go back to school only when TSC confirms their permanent employment basis.
