Schools reopen for packed third term as parents face financial strain

Schools across the country are set to reopen today Monday, August 25, for a short but high-pressure third term that will be dominated by national examinations, curriculum piloting, and financial challenges for both institutions and families.

The nine-week term, the shortest in the school calendar, will run until October 24.

It sets the stage for a marathon of assessments, including the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), and the Kenya Learners Education Assessment (KILEA).

Form Four candidates will sit for the traditional KCSE, which officially begins on November 3.

Meanwhile, more than 1.2 million Grade Nine learners are preparing for the first-ever KJSEA, an exam that will determine their transition into senior secondary. Pupils in Grade Three and Grade Six will also take their KILEA and KPSEA tests, with the latter marking their placement into Junior Secondary Schools.

To safeguard the credibility of exams, the Ministry of Education has maintained strict regulations.

Non-academic activities, mid-term breaks, and even prayer days remain suspended, rules that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said were necessary to curb exam malpractice.

He also confirmed that plans to reform the assessment system are on course, with new learning programs for Grade 11 and 12 set to be rolled out in 2027 and 2029.

But as learning resumes, financial and logistical challenges loom large. Many parents say reopening schools in the middle of the month has placed a heavy strain on their already stretched budgets.

Transport has added to the woes, with students expected to be stranded in major towns as long-distance buses remain fully booked from Kisumu, Kakamega, Kisii, Migori, and Mombasa to Nairobi.

School principals have also issued firm reminders for fee payments, warning that institutions are struggling to operate without adequate resources. Delayed release of government capitation funds has further complicated matters, with administrators worried about how to prepare for the exam season.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chairman Willy Kuria said most schools are reopening with “empty coffers.”

“We are heading into the examination season, yet schools have no funds to buy laboratory chemicals or meet daily expenses. We urge the government to release capitation before schools reopen this week,” he said.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General Akelo Misori also voiced concern, urging the state to ensure consistent and full disbursement of funds.

“Students are back in class, but schools have not received capitation. With national exams around the corner, how will principals prepare learners?” he asked.

Misori warned that unless the issues of transport, fees, and delayed funding are urgently addressed, the already demanding third term could face disruptions before the examination marathon gets underway.