Ministry of Education Confirms KCSE Rehearsals to Proceed on Friday
The Ministry of Education has confirmed that KCSE rehearsals will take place on Friday, October 17, despite the government declaring the day a public holiday in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The rehearsals mark the final preparation step before the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination begins on Tuesday, October 21.
Rehearsals to Proceed Despite Public Holiday
A senior ministry official said the exercise could not be postponed because doing so would disrupt the national examination calendar. The official explained that all education officers had been briefed to ensure the rehearsals run smoothly across all examination centres.
“Normally, rehearsals are not interfered with, and the officers on the ground have duly been briefed,” the official stated.
The confirmation comes after parents and teachers raised concerns about whether the KCSE rehearsals would continue following the public holiday announcement.
KCSE and Other National Examinations
According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) schedule, the KCSE theory papers will start on November 3 and end on November 21, running for 18 days. Schools are expected to close for the December holiday on October 24, resuming in January 2026.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) for Grade 6 learners will be held from October 27 to October 30. Under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), other assessments will also take place during the same period.
The KILEA assessment is only for special needs learners. This exam for intermediate learners runs from October 27 to October 31. The KJSEA assessment also begins on October 27. Both the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment and the KPLEA conclude on November 6. Therefore, the KJSEA and KPLEA will run for an 11-day period.
Government Gazette Notice
Earlier on Thursday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen officially gazetted Friday, October 17, as a public holiday following Raila Odinga’s passing on Wednesday morning in India after a heart attack.
Despite the national mourning, the Ministry has assured that the examination programme will proceed uninterrupted.
