Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has announced the 2026 academic calendar for primary and secondary schools, with the first term officially starting on 2 February.
Unveiling the schedule, the Permanent Secretary, Kedrace Turyagyenda, urged school administrators to strictly follow the set dates to ensure uninterrupted learning. According to the calendar, the first term will run from 2 February to 1 May, followed by the second term from 25 May to 22 August. The third term will begin on 14 September and end on 4 December.
In a statement issued on 4 January, Ms Turyagyenda warned schools against altering the academic schedule without authorisation. She said no term should be shortened without prior written approval from the Permanent Secretary.
The ministry also released timelines for senior students. Senior One placement will take place on 29 and 30 January, with students reporting for the first term on 16 February. Senior Five placement is scheduled for 12 and 13 February, while reporting will take place on 23 February.
Official school hours will remain unchanged, with primary and post-primary schools operating from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Pre-primary schools are expected to run from 8:00am to midday.
To ease traffic congestion, particularly in urban centres, head teachers of boarding schools in the Kampala Metropolitan Area have been advised to stagger opening and closing dates for different classes. Schools have also been urged to coordinate major activities such as opening days and visitation schedules with neighbouring institutions.
The ministry said all school functions must comply with national safety guidelines for co-curricular activities, entertainment and student leadership elections. Parents and other stakeholders are expected to be informed about the calendar in advance.
Students will break for first-term holidays from 2 to 24 May, second-term holidays from 23 August to 13 September, and third-term holidays from 4 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
The calendar also includes provisions for co-curricular activities, with inter-school music, dance and drama competitions scheduled at school level in the first term, district level in the second term and national level in the third term. Learners will additionally take part in the National Music, Dance and Drama Festival during the second-term holidays.
Other planned activities include science fairs, essay-writing competitions under the East African Community framework, debates, Uganda National Students’ Association activities, and SESEMAT in-service teacher training programmes across the country.
