The August school holiday of 2025 is markedly different from any other, especially for learners in examination classes. Traditionally, school holidays are associated with rest, social visits, light revision, and catching up with family and friends.
But for candidates sitting the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in the past, and now the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the newly introduced Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) for Grade 9, and the long-standing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) for Form 4, the August holiday serves a much more intense, focused purpose. This year’s holiday, in particular, holds historic and emotionally charged significance due to the magnitude of transitions each group is about to undertake.
For Grade 6 pupils, this August break is their final revision window before sitting the KPSEA, which is scheduled for November. Although the assessment is not used for placement purposes, it remains a critical tool for evaluating a learner’s competence across various domains. More importantly, it provides feedback to both learners and schools on the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Many primary schools are using this holiday to firm up learners’ understanding, engage them in practice tasks, and help them polish up areas of weakness. Teachers are providing practice questions and conducting mock assessments to prepare learners adequately. The focus is not merely on academic revision, but also on helping learners feel confident and emotionally prepared for their first significant national examination experience. It is a mix of excitement, anxiety, and intense concentration as these young learners prepare for a significant milestone.
The Grade 9 learners, on the other hand, are navigating uncharted waters. They are the first group in Kenya’s history to sit the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). This makes the August holiday not just intense but historically significant. These learners are laying the foundation for how the junior-senior transition in CBC will be managed, and that comes with both pressure and uncertainty.
Most of them are aware that the outcome of this assessment may determine their path into senior school, with potential implications for school placement, curriculum pathways, and access to various educational tracks, such as STEM, arts, or technical and vocational education. Schools, therefore, are not taking chances. The August holiday has become a period of focused tuition, revision camps, and personalised coaching. Teachers are going beyond academic instruction; they are walking closely with learners through this process, offering reassurance, clarification of expectations, and emotional support.
The uniqueness of the August break for Grade 9 also lies in the sheer novelty of the situation. Neither learners nor parents have lived through such a transition before. The anxiety of being the first cohort is a genuine concern. There are questions about what the assessment entails, how it will be marked, and what kind of impact it will have on the learners’ future academic placement. Teachers must play the dual role of educators and counsellors—helping learners build resilience while also ensuring they acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for the assessment. Unlike previous holidays that might have had flexible learning, this one is intense, scheduled, and emotionally charged.
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For the Form 4 candidates, August represents the final official break before the KCSE examinations in November. This holiday is therefore anything but restful. Schools have organised special revision programs, mock examinations, and academic boot camps. Many candidates are staying in school, while others are attending organised holiday tuition sessions with their parents’ full support. The KCSE remains the most consequential examination in the Kenyan education system. For many learners, it serves as a gateway to university, scholarships, and employment opportunities. The pressure to perform well is immense—from schools that want good mean scores, from families who have invested their resources and hopes, and from learners themselves, who understand that this is a defining moment in their academic journey.
During the August holiday, most Form 4 students are revising under tight schedules. Mornings are spent in group discussions, afternoons are spent on exam drills, and evenings are spent reviewing personal notes.
Teachers devote extra time, sacrificing their break to support candidates. Some schools invite motivational speakers, life coaches, and alumni to speak with candidates and help them build confidence and focus. Schools with a spiritual foundation often organiseorganise prayer sessions or retreats, assisting learners to seek divine strength and clarity as they face the challenges ahead. It’s a holistic approach – addressing the academic, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of the candidates.
Unlike other holidays, August 2025 for examination classes is marked by a deliberate reduction in leisure. Most families forgo vacations or family outings to allow learners more time to concentrate. Parents arrange quiet study spaces at home, hire private tutors, or invest in learning materials to give their children the best chance at succeeding. There is also increased communication between schools and parents, with frequent updates on learners’ progress, areas of improvement, and how best to support them in the final stretch.
What unites KPSEA, KJSEA, and KCSE candidates this August is a shared sense of urgency, transition, and determination. Each group is at a crossroads. Grade 6 is transitioning into junior school, Grade 9 is laying the groundwork for senior secondary school in a new system, and Form 4 is exiting the basic education system altogether. These are no ordinary transitions. They represent critical junctures in the lives of young Kenyans, and how they are handled will shape not only academic outcomes but also personal growth, self-belief, and future opportunities.
In summary, this year’s August school holiday is not a pause, but a push – a push towards readiness, clarity, and excellence. It is a sacred window of preparation, reflection, and realignment. Whether in Grade 6, Grade 9, or Form 4, every examination candidate understands that the stakes are high, the time is short, and the task is excellent. August is the month of sharpening minds, steadying hearts, and stretching potential. It is a different kind of holiday – one that tests resolve and builds resilience, not just for exams, but for life.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub-County and serves as Dean of Studies.
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