The Commission on Administrative Justice has criticised the KSh30 charge imposed on students and parents seeking access to senior secondary school placement results, warning that the fee is excessive and risks locking out candidates from transitioning to Grade 10.
In a letter to State Department for Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, the Ombudsman described the cost as unaffordable for many families and urged the ministry to spearhead negotiations with mobile service providers to lower the charges.
The ombudsman noted that although an online portal exists as an alternative channel, the Ministry of Education has not provided adequate information to parents and students on how to use it, leaving many dependent on SMS services and incurring additional costs.
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It further called on the State Department to establish mechanisms that guarantee easier access to placement results and to publicly outline policy and administrative measures taken to make the process affordable and transparent. The Ombudsman also recommended awareness campaigns to inform families about all available access channels.
This comes amid growing concerns that hidden costs in education services are widening inequality, with vulnerable households disproportionately affected.
By Masaki Enock
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