High Court rules matric results be published
After months of legal tussle, the High Court has finally settled the matter, ruling in favour of the education department.
The Information Regulator (IR) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) have been at loggerheads on whether or no to publish matric results on media platforms, as it has been for decades.
IR has previously expressed the importance of judicial processes that may help to illuminate certain aspects of POPIA, in protecting personal information that third parties hold about data subjects, such as the matriculants in this case.
Also read: Lessons from past matric results
“We note the decision by the full bench of the Pretoria High Court to set aside the Regulator’s Enforcement Notice and the Infringement Notice, carrying a fine of R5m, that it had issued in late 2024 against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) following their failure to comply with the Regulator’s directive on the matter of the publication of matric results in the newspapers.
“Naturally, the Regulator is disappointed that the Court’s judgment was not in its favour. We will study the judgment in order to determine the next course of action. Further announcements will be made in due course,” shared the Regulator.
Also read: Matric Class of 2024: Local schools in jubilation over results
The DBE has welcomed the High Court’s judgement affirming legality of publishing the NSC results.
“The department’s Acting Director of Communication, Terence Khala, said, “The department welcomes the judgment delivered by the High Court, which confirms that the Department is lawfully authorised to publish National Senior Certificate examination results in newspapers and across credited media platforms, consistent with the long-standing national practice.
“We welcome clarity, which reinforces a results-access system that has, for decades, provided candidates, families, and post-matriculation institutions with equitable and reliable means of obtaining examination outcomes.”
The Department reiterated its confidence in the IR and acknowledged its essential role in safeguarding personal information.”
The date of publication of matric results has not been formally announced, with the exam marking officially sealed over the weekend.
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