New term dates to set off a series of delays

The move to postpone closing dates for schools and national exams will affect the education calendar, including delaying secondary school and university admissions.

The changes will also force parents and guardians to fork out more money, education officials and school proprietors said as the effects of the recently ended three-week strike by teachers began to be felt in the education sector.

Education minister Mutula Kilonzo has re-arranged term dates for schools, with the current term extended by three weeks to end on November 23.

Next year, schools are to open on February 4, instead of January 3 as has been the tradition, and end on May 17. Second term will run from June 3 to September 6, while the final term will start on September 30 and end on November 29. (READ: New exam, term dates set as schools re-open)

This year’s national exams will also start three weeks later than earlier anticipated. Candidates will take the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams on December 4 to 6 instead of November 13 to 15.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam, which was scheduled to begin last Thursday with oral and practical tests to start on October 15. KCPE results will be announced on January 25 while those of the KCSE will be out three months later — April 16.

Traditionally, KCPE results are announced on December 28 and KCSE on February 28. Form One selection may equally be delayed, meaning learners may spend the better part of their first term at home.

“But the ministry of Education can facilitate a quicker process where Knec [Kenya National Examinations Council] will be allowed to computerise both the release of the KCPE results and Form One selection process,” Knec chief Paul Wasanga said.

This will mean that on the day Standard Eight pupils learn their KCPE results, they will also find out the secondary schools they have been called to.

University admission will also be delayed at a time when the Joint Admissions Board (Jab) has been working to end the waiting period between the time one completes secondary school and joins university.

Traditionally, Mr Wasanga said, KCSE results are forwarded to Jab for university admission in May, but next year, the board could receive the results in July.

Further, the General Election slated for March 4 coincides with the new school calendar. Schools nationwide will be used as polling stations during the elections, which is expected to disrupt classes.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioner Lilian Mahiri-Zaja said the commission was consulting with the ministry of Education on the dates. “Talks are on-going to ensure that schools will be on a week-long mid-term break when the elections will be held,” Ms Mahiri-Zaja said.

“Talks with the IEBC among other stakeholders are going on to ensure that the rights of the child are not overlooked,” Mr Kilonzo said. However, he said the decision to extend the current term by three weeks would not change.

“Learners lost three weeks of learning, and it would be unfair to say that they were learning on their own. There was no contact between them and their teachers as is required.”

But private schools want to end their term on November 2 as planned. Officials of the Kenya Private Schools Association are yet to conclude talks with Mr Kilonzo on the effect the new term dates will have on member institutions.

Headteachers and parents welcomed the move to postpone the exams but asked for a re-scheduling of next year’s term dates so that learners do not spend too much time at home.

Kenya Secondary Schools Headteachers Association chairman Cleophas Tirop called for a review of next year’s term dates but welcomed the postponement of exam dates, saying it would level the field for both public and private school candidates.