Matric Results: Dept of Education says it will abide by court ruling

By: Sello Theletsane

The Department of Basic Education says it will abide by whatever ruling the court makes in relation to the publishing of matric results.

The department on Monday said it had received representations from a vast array of organisations and individuals following the decision to stop the practice of publishing National Senior Certificate results on media platforms.

Spokesperson Elija Mhlanga said in addition to that, there is an urgent court application on the matter.

“In handling the matter the Department is guided by the need to comply with all the legal obligations but in the final analysis the Constitution commands the DBE to act in the best interest of the learner,” he said.

Mhlanga added that in a quest to strike a balance of complying with POPIA and act in the best interest of the learner, the Department has engaged with a number of role players including the Information Regulator and the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF).

“In view of the latest developments with regards to the release of the 2021 Matric Results and the impending litigation, the Department has decided that it will abide by the decision of the Court. The Department has communicated its position to stakeholders it has engaged including SANEF and other parties,” he said.

The department announced last week that it would not be publishing the matric results in newspapers as has been the norm due to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

Mhlanga urged learners to register on the DBE website to view their results when they become available on January 21.

“Candidates will have to go through a two-step verification process before receiving confirmation of their registration. A 13-digit ID number and the examination number will be required for registration. The DBE website is zero-rated, which means it can be accessed whether you have data or not,” he said.