NAIROBI — Kenya's government has announced plans to overhaul the academic calendar from next year, introducing equal-length school terms in what officials say is an effort to reduce learner fatigue and address growing unrest in schools.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the reforms would standardise all three school terms to approximately 12 weeks each, replacing the current structure in which the first term lasts 12 weeks, the second stretches to 14 weeks, and the third runs for about nine weeks.
The announcement comes amid mounting concern over student unrest that has affected more than 200 schools across the country this year.
"We are now going to rationalise that and have 12 weeks across the board," Ogamba said during a press briefing on Wednesday, June 10.
"We are working on that. From the next academic year, school terms will be rationalised as part of the reforms we are doing to ensure that our students do not get exhausted."
The proposed changes are part of a broader review of Kenya's education system following a series of disturbances in schools, including dormitory fires, student protests and incidents that have disrupted learning in several counties.
Education officials believe the uneven distribution of academic time may contribute to fatigue among learners and teachers. The second term, which is currently the longest, often coincides with intensive academic activities and examination preparations.
While the government has not directly linked the unrest to the structure of the school calendar, officials have increasingly pointed to student wellbeing and school environments as areas requiring urgent attention.
The reforms follow a difficult period for the education sector. Recent weeks have seen several schools temporarily closed after unrest, while authorities continue investigating a number of fire incidents that have raised questions about student welfare, school management and safety standards.
Ogamba said the changes are intended to create a more balanced learning environment throughout the year.
Education stakeholders have long argued that consistency in term lengths could help schools plan academic programmes more effectively and reduce pressure on learners. However, some experts caution that calendar reforms alone may not resolve the underlying causes of student unrest.
Issues such as mental health, school discipline, examination pressure, infrastructure challenges and communication between students and administrators are also likely to remain central to the conversation.
The Ministry of Education is expected to release further details on how the revised calendar will be implemented and whether adjustments will be made to holiday periods to accommodate the changes.
For now, officials insist the goal is straightforward: create a more predictable academic year while helping students maintain a healthier balance between learning, rest and extracurricular activities.
The proposed calendar changes are expected to take effect from the 2027 academic year, subject to final approval and implementation planning by the ministry.