Its jubilation for nursery, primary and junior secondary schools as they start to break for their three day ‘half term’.
Most secondary school students are at home after they were released early for the mid term break.
Some of the schools released the students on Friday last week while others on Saturday and Sunday.
According to the Ministry of Education calendar of activities all public and private schools are to start their ‘half term’ on 26th February 2025.
This means schools are to break for half term on 25th February 2025 and resume on 2nd March 2025.
The former CS Education Amina Mohammed is credited for bringing the half term break to primary schools.
In 2018 Amina extended the mid term break to primary schools asserting that all children must be given time to rest.
“When we announced the secondary school break, your officials came to us so we shall extend it to primary schools,” she told primary school heads attending a KEPSHA conference in Mombasa.
At the same time the Ministry schedule for co-curricular activities shows that school athletics activities will heat up after resuming from the half term break.
Some schools are already through with the inter schools and cluster levels and are set to start their zonals in March.
This year also the Ministry introduced the ‘Kids Athletics’ competitions for lower level learners those in Grade 1, 2 and 3.
According to the schedule primary, junior and secondary schools will have separate outdoor activities.
However unlike last years games and sporting activities, this year the Ministry has banned overage students from participating.
The Ministry has put an age cap for those who will be participating. In primary schools only learners aged below twelve years are eligible to play.
In junior secondary, a student must be below fifteen years of age to take part in the co-curricular activities.
In secondary schools the Ministry has banned adults from participating. Only students aged below eighteen years will take part.
Previously the Ministry had put an age limit to student participants but lifted it after an outcry from schools.
The age limit was put to create fairness and protect the minor students from possible injuries as a result of engaging with more mature colleagues in the field.
Below are the athletic events that will include in the first term competitions for primary and junior school learners.
1) Sprints (short races):
- 100m
- 100m hurdles girls
- 110m hurdles boys
- 200m
- 400m
- 400m hurdles
2) Middle distance races:
- 800m
- 1500m
- 3000m
3) Long distance races:
- 5000m
5000m walk
4) Relays:
- 4 x100m
- 4 x 400m
- 4 x 400m mixed.
5) Jumps:
- High Jump
- Long Jump
- Triple Jump
- Pole vault
6) Throws:
- Javelin
- Short putt
- Discus
- Hammer
Note:
Unless indicated all races apply to both boys and girls.
1 participant per school for short races.
2 participants per school for middle distance and field events (throws and jumps)
3 participants per school for Long distance events.
Documentation:
- Birth certificate (no age limit)
- Introduction letter
- Photo of participant with the head of institution.
2024 NATIONAL CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPORTS
(6th – 14th APRIL, 2024)
Rugby15s, Athletics, Basketball 5×5, Hockey, Handball, Cross Country, Swimming
Host Region: Eastern
Host County: Machakos
Clinic: 6th – 8th April, 2024
Arrival of teams: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 9th – 13th April, 2024
Departure: 14th April, 2024
SECONDARY SPECIAL SCHOOLS SPORTS
(6th – 12th APRIL, 2024)
Rugby15s, Athletics, Basketball 5×5, Hockey, Handball, Cross Country, Swimming
Host Region: Rift Valley
Host County: Nakuru
Clinic: 6th – 7th April, 2024
Arrival of teams: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 9th – 11th April, 2024
Departure: 12th April, 2024
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
(6th -12th APRIL, 2024)
Athletics
Host Region: Central
Host County: Nyeri
Clinic: 6th – 7th April, 2024
Arrival of Teams: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 9th – 11th April, 2024
Departure: 12th April, 2024
PRIMARY SPECIAL SCHOOLS ATHLETICS
Athletics
(6th – 13th APRIL, 2024)
Host Region: Rift Valley
Host County: Nakuru
Clinic: 6th – 7th April, 2024
Arrival of Teams: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 9th – 12 th April. 2024
Departure: 13 th April 2024
JUNIOR SCHOOL
(6th – 12th APRIL 2024)
Athletics, Cross-Country, Handball, Swimming
Host Region: Eastern
Host County: Machakos
Clinic: 6th – 7th April, 2024
Arrival of Teams: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 9th – 11th April, 2024
Departure: 12th April, 2024
NATIONAL DRAMA AND FILM FESTIVAL
(7th – 19th APRIL 2024)
Host Region: Eastern
Host County: Embu
Venue: Kangaru/Embu University
Reporting: 7th April, 2024
Action Days: 8th – 16th April, 2024
State Concert: 18th April, 2024
Departure: 19th April, 2024
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR
(6th – 12th APRIL, 2024)
Host Region: Nairobi
Host County: Nairobi
Venue: Moi Girls High School
Arrival Date: 6th April, 2024
Action Days: 11th April, 2024
Departure: 12th April. 2024
KENYA TEACHERS COLLEGES
(3rd – 13th JUNE 2024)
Ball games, Goal Ball, Athletics and Paralympics
Host Region: Eastern
Host County: Machakos
Venue: Machakos TTC
Clinic: 3rd – 4th June, 2024
Arrival: 4th June, 2024
Action Days: 5th – 12th June, 2024
Departure: 13th June, 2024
TERM ONE 2025 NATIONAL CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPORTS (UNDER 18)
TERM 1
(5th – 13th APRIL 2025)
Rugby 15s, Athletics, Basketball 5×5, Hockey, Handball, Cross Country, Swimming
Host Region: Coast
Host County: Mombasa
Clinic: 5th – 7th April. 2025
Arrival of teams: 6th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 7th April 2025- Shanzu TTC
Action Days: 8th – 12th April, 2025
Closing Date: 12th April – Shanzu
TTC Departure: 13 th April, 2025
SECONDARY SPECIAL SCHOOLS SPORTS – 2025
TERM 1
(5th – 13th APRIL 2025)
Host Region: Coast
Host County: Mombasa
Clinic: 5th – 6th April, 2025
Arrival of teams: 6th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 7th April 2025 Shanzu TTC
Action Days: 8th – 12th April, 2025
Closing Date: 12th April — Sahajanand Special
Departure: 13th April, 2025
PRIMARY SCHOOLS (UNDER 12)
TERM 1
(5th -12th APRIL, 2025)
Athletics, Kids athletics, Gymnastics, Cross country
Host Region: Coast
Host County: Mombasa
Clinic: 5th – 6th April, 2025
Arrival of Teams: 6th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 7th April 2025 -Shanzu TTC
Action Days: 8th – 11 th April, 2025
Closing Date: 11 th April – NYS Grounds Likoni
Departure: 12th April, 2025
PRIMARY SPECIAL SCHOOLS ATHLETICS
TERM 1
(5th – 12th APRIL 2025)
Host Region: Coast
Host County: Mombasa
Clinic: 5th – 6th April, 2025
Arrival of Teams: 6th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 7th April 2025- Shanzu TTC
Action Days: 8th – 11 th April, 2025
Closing Date: 11 th April – Ziwani School for the Deaf
Departure: 12th April 2025
JUNIOR SCHOOLS (UNDER 15)
TERM 1
(5th – 12th APRIL, 2025)
Athletics’, Cross-Country, Basket Ball 5*5, Rugby 7’s, Swimming
Host Region: Coast
Host County: Mombasa
Clinic: 5th – 6th April, 2025
Arrival of Teams: 6th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 7th April 2025- Shanzu TTC
Action Days: 8th – 11 th April, 2025
Closing Date: 11 th April — NYS Ground, Likoni
Departure: 12th April 2025
NATIONAL DRAMA AND FILM FESTIVAL
TERM 1
(7th – 19th APRIL, 2025)
Host Region: Rift Valley
Host County: Nakuru
Venue: Afraha High School
Reporting: 7th April, 2025
Opening Ceremony: 8th April, 2025 Afraha High
Action Days: 8th – 14th April, 2025
Gala Concert: 15th – 16th April, 2025
State Concert: 18th April, 2025
Departure: 19th April, 2025