The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued an apology for the delay in accessing the recently released KCPE results, responding to parental concerns and online uproar.

In an official statement, the Council acknowledged the delay and assured the public that their technical team was actively working to resolve the issue. They pledged to provide updates as soon as the shortcode for accessing the results via SMS becomes accessible.

Parents and candidates were initially advised to check their results by sending their index numbers to 40054. However, many Kenyans online reported being unable to access the results even an hour after Education CS Ezekiel Machogu officially released them.

The statement from KNEC read, "Greetings, we apologize for the delay in accessing KCPE 2023 results. We will update you once they are available on 40054."

Expressing frustration, some parents highlighted the anxiety caused by the delay, with concerns raised about the Ksh25 fee incurred for each SMS sent in attempts to access the results.

"It has created anxiety for everyone including teachers, the parents. I would just request that the next time the results are released, they release what is ready," commented one parent to the media.

A media spot-check revealed responses from 40054 stating, "Dear customer, the KCPE 2023 results are not available. Kindly try again later after the announcement." Nevertheless, several students successfully accessed their results through KNEC's official website.

In response to complaints about charges, the mobile service provider clarified that users would only be charged upon receiving the results. Their statement read, "You will only be charged upon receiving the results. Our sincere apologies for the inconvenience."