The Ministry of Education and Sports has confirmed that Uganda’s schools will reopen for the third term of the 2026 academic year on Monday, 14 September.

In a statement, ministry spokesperson Dr Dennis Mugimba dismissed circulating social media reports claiming the reopening date had been shifted to October. He reiterated that the official calendar remains unchanged.

“The ministry wishes to reaffirm to the public that third term for Academic Year 2026 shall start on Monday, 14th September 2026 and run for eighty-two days until Friday, 4th December 2026,” Dr Mugimba said.

The dates apply to all pre-primary, primary and secondary schools following the national curriculum. They are consistent with the official 2026 school calendar communicated to education institutions by Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda on 24 November 2025.

To ease traffic congestion in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, boarding schools in Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi and Mukono districts have been directed to stagger their opening and closing dates for different classes over two to three days.

The ministry warned that schools operating under the national curriculum may only depart from the official calendar after obtaining written authorisation from the Permanent Secretary. Relevant state authorities have been called upon to support enforcement of the approved schedule.

Parents, guardians and school administrators have been advised to rely solely on official ministry communication and disregard unverified information circulating online. The clarification follows the spread of fabricated claims, including AI-generated graphics suggesting a later reopening date.

Third Term is traditionally the period for final assessments and promotion of learners. With the holiday period ending, schools are expected to resume normal operations on the confirmed date as the academic year moves toward its close.