Education expert Professor Jonathan Jansen says it’s ridiculous to object to the publishing of matric results in newspapers.<\/p>\n
The Information Regulator is appealing a court judgment allowing matric results to be published on public platforms, using candidates\u2019 examination numbers.<\/p>\n
The Department of Basic Education has decided to publish last year’s matric exam results, despite the information regulator’s appeal.<\/p>\n
Professor Jansen says the information regulator’s arguments hold no weight.<\/p>\n
“Especially given that the names of the students aren’t published, but only their student numbers. Of course, the regulator argues that the ways in which students sit serially in an exam room, others could draw inferences that a student with that number was probably Johny Hill or Simphiwe. This is total nonsense, and I think the judge was correct when he called the objections fanciful.”<\/p>\n
He adds that the threat to privacy argument is an overreaction…<\/p>\n
“Again, think about this, there are tens of thousands of examination numbers and only the student will really know what that number is, there’s no threat to that person’s privacy.”<\/p>\n