REPUBLIC OF KENYA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF THE CABINET SECRETARY
PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
Nairobi, Saturday 4th January, 2025
ACADEMIC YEAR 2025 COMMENCEMENT UPDATE
Following the end of the Christmas and New Year festivities, basic education institutions are shortly set to commence the 2025 Academic Year.
This statement highlights the following key issues as we embark on the new Academic Year:
(a) Re-opening for Term One 2025
The term dates for the Academic Year 2025 was communicated to basic education institutions and generally publicized on 18th October, 2024.
Term One of 2025 will have 13 weeks, with 5 days for mid-term break. All schools are expected to re-open for the new term on Monday, 6th January, 2025.
The Ministry’s field officers, under the guidance of the Regional Directors of Education and the County Directors of Education, will monitor adherence to the academic calendar.
(b) Transition to Grade 9
The pioneer cohort of the Competency-Based Curriculum will transit to Grade 9 this Term. This is a major milestone in the roll-out of this transformative curriculum.
To ensure seamless transition to Grade 9, the Government initiated the construction of 16,000 classrooms countrywide in four phases. The completion status thus far is at 93%.
In the few instances where part of the construction works have not been fully finalised, our field officers and heads of institutions are under instruction to effect temporary measures to ensure that all learners are accommodated. These measures will include using alternative spaces within the school and merging streams where class sizes allow.
In terms of learning resources, 9,926,618 textbooks have been dispatched to schools countrywide. The distribution is expected to be complete by Monday, 6th January, 2025.
On teachers, the Government, through the Teachers Service Commission, has employed a total of 76,928 teachers.
Of these, 56,928 are on permanent and pensionable terms while 20,000 are intern teachers. Qualified primary school teachers will be deployed to Junior Schools to progressively ensure that each school is adequately staffed.
(c) Capitation
The Government is committed to its constitutional duty of providing free and compulsory basic education to every child in public schools. In this connection, the Ministry will disburse Kshs. 48,379,800,028.32, being 50% of the capitation due to schools this Academic Year. The capitation will be disbursed as follows:
(i) Free Primary Education – Kshs. 4,127,304,081.00
(ii) Free Day Junior School Education – Kshs. 15,327,846,478.60 and,
(iii) Free Day Secondary School Education Kshs. 28,924,649,468.76.
We are working with the National Treasury for release of Exchequer, to facilitate timely disbursement.
In Term Two, schools will receive 30% of the capitation, while the balance of 20% will be disbursed in Term Three.
(d) Examination and Assessment Results
In keeping with tradition, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination results will be released within the first two weeks of January.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment learner reports will be accessible on school portals in the week commencing 6th January, 2025.
(e) School Safety and Transport
All schools are required to adhere to the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya. The safety and security of learners must be accorded foremost priority in all learning institutions.
The Ministry, through its field officers, will continuously inspect and assess schools for compliance with all safety and security requirements. The 348 schools whose boarding sections were identified for closure will be reopened only upon demonstrating compliance with applicable safety protocols.
The relevant safety standards will also apply to school transport. In particular, no school bus or vehicle ferrying learners will be allowed on the road before 6 am and after 6 pm. All school buses and vehicles shall undergo routine inspection by the National Transport Safety Authority.
(f) Taifa Care
Parents and guardians are urged to register under Taifa Care and to include their school-going children as dependents for appropriate healthcare coverage.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I extend our appreciation to our teachers, parents and guardians, learners and all Kenyans in general, for their effort and input thus far in building an effective and efficient education system.
As we stand at this pivotal transformative stage of educations sector reforms, we look forward to continued collaboration and partnership in addressing revamping our education system.
I wish you all a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year 2025.
Julius Migos Ogamba, EBS
CABINET SECRETARY
