Department of Basic Education Banned From Publishing Matric Results, Mzansi Divided Over Decision

• The Department of Basic Education will not be allowed to publish matric results in newspapers this year
• The Information Regulator of South Africa claimed the DBE was not POPIA compliant if it did so
• South Africans have mixed feelings about the decision to ban the department from publishing the results

The long-standing tradition of matriculants finding their name in the newspaper will not go ahead this year.

The Information Regulator of South Africa has banned the Department of Basic Education (DBE) from publishing results in newspapers, saying there is no legal justification for doing so.

Department not compliant with POPIA

The Information Regulator claimed that the department was not compliant with section 11 of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and, therefore, in breach of certain conditions.

It stated that the DBE failed to obtain consent from the learners or their parents/guardians to publish their results.

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“The DBE must develop a system which will enable it to obtain the consent of the learners or their parents/guardians before the publication of their matric results in newspapers,” Information Regulator spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi said.

AfriForum to prepare legal challenge

AfriForum has confirmed that they have instructed their legal team to challenge the decision.

It argued that it wasn’t violating the individuals’ right to privacy, as only exam numbers appeared in the paper.

South Africans share their thoughts

@UnderpantsAnton asked:

“It is just an exam number. What absolute kak is this?”

@antony_skapura said:

“I don’t understand why we still publish matric results. It creates unnecessary pressure on young people, and tragically, some have taken their own lives because of it. The lack of consent from candidates or parents makes it worse. It’s time to scrap this harmful tradition.”

@DirkGnodde added:

“What a lot of rubbish. The results have been published for years and years, now all of a sudden, it’s illegal.”

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Antoinette Van Lill Meyer said:

“Please spare these little ones the insult of everyone seeing their results. They won't make it. Sadly, they are just too insecure for the real world. Hope they can man up for a job interview.”

Robyn Louise Braithwaite stated:

“Publishing results could have such a negative effect on mental health. Why would anyone want to make the results public? Very against this.”

1 Learner arrested during exams

In a related article, Briefly News confirmed that one pupil was arrested during his matric exams.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed the news while providing an update on the exams.

The learner was arrested at the exam venue in connection with an armed robbery.

Source: Briefly News