The Information Regulator has slapped the department of basic education with an enforcement notice prohibiting the publication of matric results on public forums including newspapers and school bulletin boards.

In a statement on Tuesday, the regulator said the department’s actions were not in line with the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia).

“The department of basic education was issued with an enforcement notice on 4 November following the Information Regulator’s own-initiative assessment into the compliance with Popia by the department,” the regulator said.

“The Information Regulator found that the department was not compliant with section 11 of Popia and was in breach of the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information by failing to obtain consent for the publication of matric results from the learners … that sat for the 2023 National Senior Certificate examinations.”

It said no legal justification exists for the department to continue with the publication of matric results in newspapers. Instead of being published, results must be given to students individually to ensure their privacy is maintained, including obtaining the results directly from the school or receiving them via SMS.

The basic education department has been urged by the regulator to seek the consent of learners who will write the 2025 matric exams, or their parents or guardians, to determine if the results may be published in newspapers. The DBE must also develop a system for obtaining consent from learners or their parents.

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“The Information Regulator has directed that the department should not publish the results of the 2025 matriculants if the enforcement notice instructions are not complied with,” the regulator said. – © 2024 NewsCentral Media