Matric learners will no longer see their results published on any public platforms such as newspapers.

This, according to the Department of Education, was in accordance with the new Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), 2013 which came into effect in July last year.

It has become an annual tradition for matric learners to wait excitedly for their results to be published in newspapers and other public platforms. However, this will now be a thing of the past.

In a statement, the department said it recognised that section 14 of the Constitution provides that everyone has the right to privacy.

“This right to privacy includes a right to protection against the unlawful collection, retention, dissemination and use of personal information,” it said.

“To comply with the provisions of the POPIA, the usual practice of publishing the national senior certificate (NSC) results on public platforms will not occur for 2021.

“As was the practice in previous years, all learners will be required to obtain their statement of results from the schools they attended.

“In this way, every learner’s personal information with regards to the outcome of their national senior certificate exam will be protected,” the statement read.

Learners were, therefore, urged to contact their schools regarding their results.