MASOYI- As the eagerly awaited 2024 matric results are set to be released next week, residents in and around Masoyi, have expressed a wide range of views regarding the Information Regulator’s urgent request to stop the publication of these results.
The regulator argues that releasing matric results in newspapers could potentially breach the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The Pretoria High Court will hear the regulator’s urgent application on Tuesday, January 7.
One parent, Dorris Mlimi had this to say: “I think it is better not to publish the results because some learners know their friend’s exam numbers, they can check on the newspaper and call the friend and tell him or her that they have failed. In that way, that can cause the the child to commit suicide ” Mlimi said.
Another parent said the results should not be published because people access information about things that do not concern them. “The results should be for families only, the learners and their parents”
Various emotions were evident as some 2024 matriculants expressed their opinions. Eighteen-year-old Thamsanqa Mazibuko noted that allowing access to student results might result in unnecessary mental health issues.
READ | Matric results will not be published in newspapers
“I do not support the idea of matric results being published via the newspapers because it can be embarrassing to the candidates, since it’s published to the community and it invades their privacy. If it happens that a candidate did not do so well and it is known to the community, it may lead to them having depression and anxiety” Mazibuko said.
Two other additional matriculants, who requested to keep their identities confidential expressed that they too oppose the publishing of their results.
“Our results must not be published on the papers because we know our exam numbers among ourselves, they can access our results and end up bullying us on social media”
“Learners can be suicidal if their results are published publicly, people will know how you performed in school, so no I don’t want our results to be published”, anonymous added.
The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, is set to formally announce the results of the 2024 matric exams on January 13. Meanwhile, physical copies of the results will be accessible at the respective schools or examination centres on January 14.
