KNEC Website Outage Disrupts KCSE Results Release

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Nairobi, Kenya| Candidates and parents eagerly awaiting the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results faced significant hurdles on Thursday afternoon after the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) website experienced a major outage shortly after the official announcement of the results.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba unveiled the results just past noon, declaring that they would be accessible to candidates online shortly thereafter.

Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, Ogamba assured the public of a seamless process and directed candidates to check their results via the official KNEC portal at knec.ac.ke/results adding that any issue that arises will be resolved promptly.

Additionally, he advised those encountering challenges to seek assistance through the provided toll-free numbers: 0800724900 and 0800721410.

Despite these assurances, the situation quickly turned chaotic as candidates attempting to access the website were met with error messages such as ‘This page isn’t working’ and ‘This site can’t be reached.’

Many were left frustrated and anxious as their efforts to obtain results were thwarted.

Widespread Impact and Frustration
The outage was first reported by Arabia Media Network, which confirmed the site’s inaccessibility minutes after the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement.

Efforts to reach the helplines also proved futile, with numerous reports of the lines being perpetually busy.

“I’ve been trying to check my son’s results for hours now, but the site isn’t working, and no one is picking up the helplines. It’s very frustrating,” said Susan Mwikali, a parent from Machakos.

Similar sentiments were echoed by students across the country who expressed disappointment at the delayed access to their long-awaited results.

“We’ve been preparing for this day for months, and now I can’t even see my results,” said James Otieno, a candidate from Kisumu.

KNEC Silent Amid Backlash
By late afternoon, KNEC had yet to issue an official statement addressing the technical issues.

Social media platforms were flooded with complaints and concerns, with hashtags such as #KNECResults2024 and #KCSEResults trending as frustrated users voiced their grievances.

The lack of prompt communication from KNEC further fueled public outrage.

Stakeholders in the education sector called for an urgent resolution and questioned the council’s preparedness for handling the large-scale release of results.

Potential Causes and Alternatives
Experts speculate that the website’s outage could have been caused by an overwhelming number of users attempting to access the portal simultaneously, resulting in server overload.

This is not the first time KNEC has faced such challenges, raising concerns over the adequacy of its digital infrastructure.

In response to the ongoing challenges, some candidates resorted to visiting their former schools to obtain results manually.

However, for many in remote areas or those unable to travel, this was not a viable option.

The Way Forward
As students and parents await clarity, education stakeholders have urged KNEC to strengthen its digital systems and provide alternative solutions to ensure future disruptions are minimized.

Suggestions include staggered result access times, enhanced server capacity, and better communication during crises.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Ogamba is expected to address the nation on the issue, as pressure mounts for accountability and immediate action.

The release of KCSE results is a significant milestone in the lives of millions of candidates across Kenya.

However, the technical difficulties experienced on Thursday underscored the urgent need for improved infrastructure to support the country’s growing reliance on digital platforms for critical services.


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