After the Department of Basic Education’s decision to not publish the 2021 matric results were deemed “ill-informed” and “irrational”, the North Gauteng High Court has ruled otherwise.
The Department of Education implemtned the POPI Act
On 11 January, the Department of Basic Education released a statement that matric results will no longer be allowed to be published on any media platforms. This was apparently due to the recently introduced Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
“In order to comply with the provisions of the POPIA, the usual practice of publishing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on public platforms (media platforms) will not occur for 2021,” the statement read.
Thus, the only way for students to receive their results would be to go to the school where they wrote their exams.
The decision was challenged by a matric student
When the news broke, a 2021 matriculant, Anlé Spies, challenged the decision together with AfriForum and Maroela Media. Spies argued that students who do not live near their schools would be disadvantaged as there are several learners who moved or relocated far away from the schools where they wrote the exams.
Spies herself wrote her matric exams in Pretoria but lives in Gqeberha. And she argued that it is “critically important” that she receives her results as soon as possible so that she can prepare for her university career.
“The sudden decision and announcement out of the blue by the department of basic education with regards to its efforts to comply with provisions of the Popi Act are based on a misconception that the act only came into effect in the middle of the last year,” Spies said.
And as a result of her actions, Judge Anthony Millar ruled on Tuesday morning that matric results may be published in newspapers and other media platforms.
The results will be published on Thursday and students will be able to fetch their result statements at schools on Friday.