The Commission on Administrative Justice, known as the Ombudsman, has directed the State Department for Basic Education to scrap the Ksh30 SMS charges for senior secondary school placements or lower the price. The directive followed a complaint filed on December 20, 2025, which flagged the fee as exorbitant and discriminatory against ordinary Kenyans. The commission stated that the charge violates the Access to Information Act of 2016.
The Commission on Administrative Justice has issued an advisory opinion directing the State Department for Basic Education to eliminate the Ksh30 SMS charges for checking senior secondary school placement results. Parents and guardians used the SMS service to number 22263, costing Ksh30 per message, while a free online option exists at placementeducation.go.ke.
According to the commission, many Kenyans, particularly in rural areas, depend on SMS due to limited internet access. The commission criticized the ministry for not adequately publicizing the two options, stating this creates barriers to children's basic right to education under the Constitution.
The commission referenced Section 12 of the Access to Information Act of 2016, which limits charges to the actual cost of providing information. “Section 12 of the ATI Act, 2016 provides that the cost of access to information should not exceed the actual costs of making copies of the information and where applicable, the cost of supplying such information,” the commission stated.
It also invoked constitutional rights under Articles 35, 43, and 53, which ensure access to education and information without unreasonable barriers. The opinion, signed by Access to Information Commissioner Dorothy Jemator, urged stakeholder engagement. “The State Department for Basic Education should engage all citizens and stakeholders on the dissemination of Senior Secondary School placement results and put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure proactive access to adequate, relevant and user-friendly information on placement results by all citizens and stakeholders to uphold Constitutional guarantees and Statutory requirements by Government,” Jemator stated.
The commission further required the ministry to disclose the SMS cost breakdown and launch a public awareness campaign. The Education Ministry has not yet responded officially to the directive. The opinion was published on February 26, 2026.
