The results will be made available in the same pseudonymised format used in recent years.
Despite an ongoing legal battle with the Information Regulator, the Department of Basic Education confirmed that the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results will be published in newspapers next week.
The matric results will be announced on 12 January 2026 by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, alongside Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule.
Matric results
According to the Education Department, the results will then be “made available” to accredited newspapers for publication on 13 January 2026.
The department said the results will be made available in the same pseudonymised format used in recent years, displaying examination numbers and results only, with no names, surnames, or ID numbers.
“In line with our commitment to the rule of law, the Department of Basic Education is of the view that it is legally obliged to publish the results in this pseudonymised format, as the court order granted on 18 January 2022 expressly requires this approach. This order remains in force.
“The publication of NSC results in accredited newspapers has long been an important and accessible method for learners and parents to obtain results timeously,” the department said.
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Established practice
The department said it will continue to follow the established, court-endorsed practice of publishing the results without identifying learners in a manner that balances accessibility with the protection of personal information.
The department also confirmed that it will oppose the Information Regulator’s application for leave to appeal.
“This opposition is pursued in the best interests of learners, their families, and the education sector. The Department remains firmly of the view that the application has no reasonable prospects of success, given the clarity already provided by the courts.”
Supreme Court of Appeal
Last week, the Information Regulator approached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) with an application for leave to appeal the North Gauteng High Court’s ruling in Pretoria.
On 12 December 2025, the Information Regulator was dealt a blow when the Gauteng High Court ruled that publishing matric results on public platforms using only examination numbers, rather than names, protects matriculants’ privacy.
Acting Judge Mark Morgan dismissed the regulator’s arguments as “fanciful” and likened its stance to “a poorly constructed thought experiment.”
In recent years, the media has published results that show only a pupil’s unique exam number.
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Unhappy
However, the Information Regulator was unhappy and intended to force the DBE to comply with the enforcement notice that had been issued by the regulator on 18 November 2024, following its findings that the manner in which the DBE published the matric results was inconsistent with the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act).
However, the court ruled decisively in favour of the Education Department.
“The regulator’s stance does not reflect events in the real world. It would be a very unusual learner who, having prepared for examinations, having spent weeks sitting for various papers, and having spent weeks awaiting results, would care to recall who sat next to the learner during examinations, work out from the sequence of examination numbers, and then have thoughts about how that other learner performed in the examinations,” Judge Mark Morgan ruled.
‘New concept’
In its application to the SCA, the regulator argued that the High Court had introduced a new concept in the interpretation and application of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), “the so-called personally identifiable information which is not provided for in the [POPIA]”.
“The parties were not given an opportunity to make any submissions on the meaning of the phrase ‘personally identifiable information’ in the context of the dispute before the court, as a result of which their right to a fair hearing was violated,” it stated in the application.
Respect
On Wednesday, the Education Department said it holds the highest respect for the Office of the Information Regulator and its constitutional mandate.
“The Department’s opposition to the application for leave to appeal should not be interpreted as a lack of respect for the Information Regulator. On the contrary, the Department values the Regulator’s role and looks forward to continued and constructive engagement.”
The department said it remained committed to “legal compliance, learner protection, transparency, and accessibility,” while ensuring that the rights and dignity of every learner are respected.
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