The Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) has advised the State Department for Basic Education to review the cost of accessing Senior Secondary School (Grade 10) placement results via SMS.
The advisory follows a complaint lodged on December 20, 2025, by a petitioner identified as D.H., who challenged the premium fee charged for retrieving placement results via the short code 22263.
“The Commission has recommended that the State Department for Basic Education urgently review the cost of accessing Senior Secondary School (Grade 10) placement results through the Short Message Service (SMS) platform, ensuring that any charges imposed are reasonable and reflect only actual supply costs,” read part of a statement shared by the Ombudsman.
D.H argued that parents and students were paying Kshs 30 per SMS to check placement results, despite alternative online access being available at no cost.
Ombudsman Calls for Lower SMS Fees for Grade 10 Placement Results
According to the Commission, while the Ministry of Education provides a free online portal, insufficient public awareness of the online option has led many parents and students to rely on the costly SMS service.
It further argued that the fee is excessive because the results are already on the online platform and the actual supply cost is minimal.
“Any fee for accessing information must reflect only the actual supply cost. In this case, the results were already in digital format, eliminating reproduction costs, and only minimal supply costs could justifiably be charged,” the Commission stated.
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The commission stressed that senior Secondary School placement results are of immense public interest, directly affecting learners’ educational progression and carrying significant implications for families and the broader education system.
Therefore, access to such information is not merely administrative but also touches on constitutionally protected rights.
Additionally, it highlighted that the government has a legal duty to proactively disclose information to the public under Article 35(3) of the Constitution.
“Access to such information is therefore not merely administrative but touches on constitutionally protected rights. Article 35 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right of access to information held by the State, while the Access to Information Act, 2016, operationalizes this right.”
Ombudsman Recommendations for Educational Transparency and Affordability
In addition to reviewing the SMS charges, the Ombudsman advised the Department to provide a clear breakdown of the cost components, including SMS fees.
The commission also advised the department to increase public awareness of all alternative access channels, including the free online portal.
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It also highlighted that the Department should ensure that any charges are reasonable and legally defensible under Section 12 of the Access to Information Act and institutionalize robust stakeholder engagement mechanisms to improve the dissemination of placement results.
The Commission further noted that proactive disclosure and transparency in these processes would promote public trust, reinforce accountability, and align administrative practices with constitutional requirements.
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