HARGEISA (SD) — Somaliland’s Minister of Education and Science, Prof. Ismail Duale Yusuf, has intervened after widespread complaints that students and parents were being charged to access this year’s national examination results through Telesom’s Aqonmal service.

The minister expressed strong concern over the reported $0.40 fee, saying students and their families should not have to pay simply to find out their examination results.

Prof. Ismail said the charge had prevented some parents and students from accessing the online results at a moment that should have been one of celebration.

“Instead of celebrating with the students and sharing their happiness, they were asked for extra money,” the minister said, warning that those responsible would be held accountable.

The Ministry has announced alternative ways for students to obtain their results without using the paid service. Examination results have reportedly been made available through education offices in Somaliland’s regions and districts, as well as through schools and other educational institutions.

The Education Ministry’s intervention is likely to be welcomed by students and parents, as it addresses concerns over charging students to access their own examination results.

The negative side of the Telesom service is that requiring students to pay a fee to access their examination results created an unnecessary financial and digital barrier, particularly for low-income families and students who may not have reliable access to mobile services. It also caused frustration at a moment that should have been focused on celebrating students’ achievements, while making an essential education service dependent on a private telecommunications platform. This highlights the risk of relying too heavily on a single foreign-owned (Somalia) commercial platform for an essential public service and suggests that the Somaliland government’s examination results should be available through free, reliable, and easily accessible channels.

The minister’s decision to investigate the fee and provide alternative ways to obtain results could strengthen public confidence, but accountability will depend on whether those responsible for imposing the charge are actually held to account.