A person reacts excitedly as she looks at a newspaper A pupil checks her results in a newspaper. The Department of Basic Education will publish the results in the media next week Tuesday. File Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives
Pupils in KwaZulu-Natal have expressed mixed views on their matric results being published in newspapers as has been done for years.
On Wednesday the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria dismissed an application by the Information Regulator (IR) to interdict the Department of Basic Education (DBE) from publishing the 2024 matric results in the media, saying the matter was not urgent.
As a result, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has confirmed that the DBE would publish the results on January 14.
She thanked the IR on social media for raising its concerns and said she would continue to work with the body to address any further issues.
The results will, however, be published using only the candidate’s exam number, as the court ordered in 2022 that no names may be made public.
Judge Ronel Tolmay struck the application from the court roll and ordered the IR to pay the costs.
The judge stressed that she did not deal with the merits of the application, but only dealt with urgency at this stage.
The IR said it had no choice but to turn to the court now, as it became clear that the department refused to abide by an enforcement notice issued to it by the IR in November, ordering the department not to publish the results.
According to the IR, it only realised in December that the department refused to abide by the orders in the enforcement notice.
This followed an assessment done by the IR which found that it would infringe on the learners’ rights to protection of public information if the results were published in the media. The IR subsequently ordered the department not to publish the results this year.
The department, however, issued an appeal against the enforcement notice.
Matric pupils, who are waiting for their results, yesterday had differing views on the matter.
A Belverton Secondary School pupil said she did not support the results being published in the media.
“I feel as if it’s just a waste of paper and resources when it is the 21st century and technology has developed. As an individual waiting for my matric results I don’t support the results being published in a newspaper as it also invades my privacy, although it is just a number but it is still published for the whole world to see.”
She added that it could also affect pupils negatively.
“It adds pressure to individuals as you will see everyone else’s results and compare them to yours. When results aren’t published you receive your statement like you have been receiving a report card during your schooling career, it’s private and you can choose who to show it to.”
Another pupil, from Tongaat Secondary School, said on the one hand she wanted to experience the thrill of searching for her exam number in the paper, however, on the other she also felt that it could cause anxiety for some.
“I feel like it’s an invasion of one’s privacy should family and friends get a hold of the student’s exam number – they can access your results even before you. It adds unnecessary pressure.”
Mukelani Dimba, executive responsible for education and communication at the IR’s office, said the merits of the case would be aired before court later.
“We will now consider our position given the decision by the court, but I do expect that we are likely to come back to court.”
Dimba said if the results were published, it would still be in violation of the enforcement notice it had issued because there was no appeal yet.
AfriForum, which was a respondent in this application as it was one of the applicants in the 2022 application, meanwhile welcomed the court’s ruling.
Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, said: “The ruling is a victory for the matriculants for whom the publication of their results in this way is of great importance,” Bailey said.
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