The Department of Basic Education will not publish matric results on newspapers or public platforms. This is in compliance with Protecting Personal Information Act (POPIA).
The Information Regulator met with DBE on January 12 to discuss the department’s approach to processing personal information.
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“It is the view of the Regulator that DBE must ensure that matriculants appropriately receive their results. Regarding POPIA, a responsible party such as they empowered the DBE to decide how to bring its actions or decisions in compliance with POPIA. Here, the Regulator will assess any decision regarding the publication of matric results based on the provision of POPIA.”
POPIA makes provision for such eventuality under clear guidelines for safeguarding personal information. These include, for example, a requirement for agreement between the department and a dissemination platform prescribing how that platform should process the personal information.
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The agreement should bind the platform on processing personal information in terms of POPIA. There should be specific requirements for the safeguarding of personal information supplied to the dissemination platform.
“Where personal information related to results is being disseminated, the Act would also require that matriculants are advised of the intention to disseminate the information. It will be their right to object. Once a matriculant or a guardian or parent acting on their behalf, can object to dissemination of their information.”
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