The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Chairperson, Ms Joy Maimela, today expressed her deep concern about the court action regarding the publication of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. She said uncertainty may lead to increased levels of anxiety amongst learners as they await the outcome of the final examinations.

Ms Maimela appealed to all the parties – the Information Regulator (IR) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) – to put the learners' interests and well-being first. “These learners are probably almost as stressed now whilst awaiting the announcement of the results on Monday as they were when writing the NSC examinations. We appeal to all to not add to heightened stress levels. The back and forth can lead to added anxiety for these candidates.”

The Chairperson’s comments follow an application for an urgent interdict by the Information Regulator against the department to prevent the publishing of matric results in newspapers as has been traditionally the case. The Regulator’s application followed an enforcement notice it served on the department in November, in which the Regulator found that publishing the results in this manner was in breach of the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information under the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act. The Regulator ordered the department to provide an undertaking that it would not publish the 2024 results in newspapers within 31 days and turned to the courts after it failed to do so. The court found the matter was not urgent and struck it from the roll with costs.

“We are on the eve of the announcement of results. Let us rather focus on all our learners' emotional and psychological well-being and support them as best as we can,” said Ms Maimela.