Last Monday, Kenya officially reopened its schools and, as every year, the start of the school year was accompanied by a familiar mix of hope, anxiety, and budgets that don't add up.
 
Millions of students returned to class after two and a half months of vacation, while parents crowded markets, uniform shops, and bookstores in a last-minute rush that increasingly resembles a test of economic endurance. Thousands more, however, are not yet back in their seats due to a lack of money from their parents or relatives.
Students in the old 8-4-4 system and lower secondary schools were the first to return, while tenth-grade students will resume classes next week. Meanwhile, in the big cities—from Nairobi to Nakuru, via Kisumu and Kakamega—the scene was the same: parents looking for textbooks, uniforms, and school supplies, often turning to second-hand items or forced to postpone some purchases.
The problem, many say, is always the same: the cost of living is rising, while salaries remain stagnant. Uniforms, books, and transportation have increased in price, while family incomes struggle to keep pace with inflation. For single mothers, the return to school has become a real struggle, involving sacrifices and careful budgeting.
The crisis is also reflected in bookstores and among street vendors along the main shopping streets. Merchants speak of a difficult season, with declining sales and growing demand for second-hand items. Many parents buy only the bare essentials, while others wait for bargains in informal markets. Some bitterly describe this as one of the worst seasons in recent years.
Transportation is making the situation worse. At bus stations in Kisumu, Kakamega, and other cities, passengers have complained about high fares and limited availability of vehicles, making travel to school chaotic and expensive, especially on the days when schools reopened.
On the table, at least on paper, are public funds. The Ministry of Education has allocated approximately 44.2 billion Kenyan shillings for the first quarter to support free primary and secondary day education. Yet many parents report that several schools continue to demand additional contributions: remedial lessons, salaries for teachers hired by boards of management (BOM), and supplies not covered by government support. Officials in the sector have warned school administrators against charging illegal fees, but enforcement of the rules remains uneven.
The reopening of schools was also accompanied by a government safety warning, urging maximum caution on the roads during the post-holiday return, a period traditionally marked by heavy traffic and an increased risk of accidents. The appeal is addressed to both parents and public transport operators, who are called upon to put the safety of students above all else.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has formalized the 2026 academic calendar. The circular, signed by Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bitok and also sent to Minister of Education Julius Ogamba, the Teachers Service Commission, the Kenya National Examinations Council, and the Board of Governors, sets out detailed dates and deadlines.
The school year for basic education institutions—nursery, primary, middle, and secondary—began on January 5, 2026. The first term will last 13 weeks and end on April 2, with a short break from February 25 to March 1. The April holidays will be three weeks, from April 7 to 24. The second term will run from April 27 to July 31, with a break from June 24 to 28 and the August holidays until the 21st. The third term, the shortest, will last nine weeks, from August 24 to October 23.
The dates for the national exams have also been confirmed. The KPSEA and KILEA assessments will take place starting on October 26 for five days. The KJSEA and KPLEA will also begin on the same date and will last for seven days. The KCSE, the high school leaving exam, will be held from November 2 to 20, 2026.
 
This will be followed by the long end-of-year holidays, from October 26, 2026, to January 1, 2027. Diploma Teachers Training Colleges will follow a similar calendar, with the third term extending until November 6.
The circular also reiterates a restriction already in force: in the third term of 2026, activities and visits to secondary schools remain prohibited, as established by previous provisions.
As the country resumes its school routine, the return to the classroom once again highlights the contradictions of a system that promises free basic education but leaves many families struggling with heavy expenses. For many parents, the start of the school year remains a time suspended between hope and hardship, between the desire to give their children a future and the daily struggle to make that future economically sustainable.