The Ministry of Education has announced that the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results will be released on Friday, January 9, 2026.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu is expected to preside over the official release ceremony in Eldoret, starting at 9.30 am.

Nearly 996,000 candidates sat the national examination in 2025 across various examination centres countrywide. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has been finalising the marking and processing of the results ahead of Friday’s announcement.

According to the ministry, candidates will be able to access their results shortly after the official release.

The announcement comes amid concerns from some parents over what they viewed as a delay in releasing the results. However, Education CS Julius Ogamba maintained that the process was proceeding as scheduled, noting that KCSE results are traditionally released in January.

Ogamba assured the public that the 2025 KCSE results timeline had not changed.

In a significant policy shift aimed at addressing the longstanding issue of withheld certificates, the ministry has introduced a new system under which candidates will collect their KCSE certificates from sub-county education offices rather than from their former schools. The move is intended to curb delays often linked to unpaid school fees.

The 2025 KCSE examinations were conducted between October 21 and November 14, 2025. During the examination period, 418 candidates were flagged for various irregularities.

Marking of the exams briefly stalled on November 30, 2025, after about 800 examiners stationed at Maryhill Girls High School in Thika downed their tools, citing concerns over working conditions and poor communication from the ministry.

KNEC later confirmed that the dispute had been resolved, stating that all examiners had been paid and dismissing claims that coordination payments were still outstanding.

Last month, KNEC also warned schools against withholding KCSE certificates under any circumstances. The council reminded institutions that the law requires the immediate release of certificates and urged candidates facing challenges to seek assistance from the sub-county director of education.

The directive followed persistent complaints from learners who said some schools were retaining certificates to compel parents to clear fee arrears. While some institutions have argued that the practice helps mitigate financial risks or address unreturned learning materials and unresolved disciplinary issues, KNEC reiterated that such actions are unlawful.

The examinations body urged affected candidates to report any cases of certificate withholding to education officials for prompt intervention.

The County Government of Uasin Gishu has issued a directive banning the establishment and operation of children’s play areas within or near premises licensed to sell alcoholic drinks.

In a public notice released by the County Department of Health Services, the county warned that children’s play facilities must not be located close to bars, pubs, clubs or any other alcohol-selling establishments.

The move, officials said, is aimed at protecting children from exposure to alcohol-related environments while promoting their safety, health and overall wellbeing.

Under the directive, business owners and operators have been ordered to remove any children’s play areas situated within or near drinking premises. The notice further states that children should not be allowed to access or remain in alcohol-licensed establishments.

County officials clarified that the ban applies to all premises licensed to sell alcohol across Uasin Gishu County.

The Department of Health Services cautioned that failure to comply with the directive will attract strict enforcement measures, including fines, closure of affected businesses or prosecution in line with existing laws.

According to the county government, the ban forms part of broader public health and child protection initiatives aimed at creating safe and child-friendly environments.

Officials noted that exposure to alcohol-selling venues poses several risks to children, including normalising alcohol consumption at a young age and exposing them to potentially unsafe social settings.

The directive has elicited mixed reactions from residents. While many parents and child rights advocates have welcomed the move, terming it long overdue, some business owners have raised concerns over implementation and the costs associated with making adjustments.

The county government has urged all affected operators to comply voluntarily, warning that enforcement teams will conduct inspections to ensure full adherence to the new regulations.

The Ministry of Education has officially released the academic calendar for the 2026 academic year, outlining school term dates and national examination schedules for Basic Education Institutions and Diploma Teachers Training Colleges (DTTCs).

The comprehensive calendar is contained in a circular signed by Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok and copied to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) and the Council of Governors.

The circular has been dispatched to all regional, county and sub-county directors of education.

According to the schedule, Basic Education Institutions—covering pre-primary, primary, junior, senior and secondary schools—will open for the 2026 academic year on January 5, 2026.

Term I will run for 13 weeks, closing on April 2, 2026. Learners will have a five-day half-term break from February 25 to March 1, 2026. This will be followed by a three-week April holiday running from April 7 to April 24, 2026.

Term II is scheduled to last 14 weeks, opening on April 27 and closing on July 31, 2026. A second half-term break will take place between June 24 and June 28. Schools will then close for the August holiday, which will run for three weeks and end on August 21.

Term III, the shortest term, will run for nine weeks from August 24 to October 23, 2026.

The circular also confirmed the dates for all major national examinations. The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) will run for five days starting October 26, 2026. The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) will also begin on October 26 and run for seven days.

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination will be conducted over three weeks, from November 2 to November 20, 2026.

Following the completion of examinations, students will proceed for the long end-of-year holiday. The December break will last 10 weeks, running from October 26, 2026, to January 1, 2027.

Diploma Teachers Training Colleges will follow a similar academic schedule. However, their third term will be longer, lasting 11 weeks and ending on November 6, 2026. DTTCs will begin their December holiday on November 9.

The Ministry also reiterated an existing restriction affecting secondary schools. The circular states that activities and visits to secondary schools during the third term of 2026 remain prohibited, in line with earlier directives.

The academic calendar applies to all institutions of basic education across the country.