• The Ministry of Basic Education will not be allowed to publish exam results in newspapers this year
• South Africa’s information regulator has claimed that the DBE is not compliant with POPIA if it does so.
• South Africans have mixed feelings over decision to ban department from publishing results

The long-standing tradition of registrants finding their names in the paper will not continue this year.

The information regulator of South Africa has banned the Department of Basic Education (DBE) from publishing the results in newspapers, saying there is no legal justification for this.

Department not compliant with POPIA

The information regulator claimed the department was not compliant with section 11 of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), and therefore in breach of certain conditions.

He said the DBE did not obtain consent from learners or their parents/guardians to publish their results.

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“The DBE must develop a system that will enable it to obtain consent from learners or their parents/guardians before publishing their results in newspapers,” said information regulator spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi.

AfriForum to prepare legal challenge

AfriForum confirmed that it had asked its legal team to challenge the decision.

He argued that this did not violate individuals’ rights to privacy, since only review numbers appeared in the newspaper.

South Africans share their thoughts

@UnderpantsAnton asked:

“It’s just a review number. What absolute kak is this?

@antony_skapura said:

“I don’t understand why we are still publishing matric results. This creates unnecessary pressure on young people and, tragically, some have taken their own lives because of it. The lack of consent from candidates or parents aggravates the situation. It’s time to abandon this harmful tradition.”

@DirkGnodde added:

“What bullshit. The results have been published for years and now, all of a sudden, it’s illegal.”

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Antoinette Van Lill Meyer said:

“Please spare these little ones the insult of everyone who sees their results. They won’t make it. Unfortunately, they’re just too insecure for the real world. I hope they can show up for a job interview.

Robyn Louise Braithwaite said:

“The publication of the results could have a very negative effect on mental health. Why would we want to make the results public? Very against this.

Source: In Brief News