By Thapelo Molefe
The Information Regulator (IR) is pursuing a legal appeal after the Pretoria High Court dismissed its bid to block the publication of 2025 matric results in newspapers using examination numbers.
Speaking to Inside Education, the Regulator said it has approached the Pretoria High Court for leave to appeal the judgment and is awaiting the court’s acceptance before potentially taking the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
“We have to await their acceptance or agreement to the appeal before it goes to the SCA,” said IR spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi.
The court’s ruling on 12 December cleared the way for the Department of Basic Education to publish the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results as planned on 13 January 2026.
Judge Mark Morgan ruled that results published with only examination numbers do not infringe learners’ privacy, dismissing the Regulator’s arguments under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
The Regulator had argued that even examination numbers constitute personal information requiring consent, while the department and civil society groups maintained that newspaper publication remains a crucial avenue for learners, particularly in rural and low-income communities, to access results.
INSIDE EDUCATION
