The names of this year’s Grade 12 pupils, who will have passed their matric, will not be published in the newspapers when results are released next year.
According to the spokesperson of the Department of Basic Education, Elijah Mahlangu, this was announced at the recent final Council of Education Ministers (CEM) meeting earlier this week.
Mahlangu said that the ministers decided that the outcomes for this year’s matrics will still be in the newspapers, however, there will only be the pupils Identity Document and examination numbers.
He said that the CEM has taken the decision to review the publishing of individual Grade 12 pupils results following a recommendation of a task team.
“Publishing of results is a request that is always made by media houses, but this year the task team asked for this to be reviewed as previously there have been errors that occur with this system leading to serious consequences.
“We want our pupils to go to their schools where they will have written their exams to find out their results as this is how it should be done, this way they will be able to get proper advice on the options that are available to them whether they have passed or failed,” he said.
Mahlangu explained that in the past they would find that some children end up killing themselves because theirs names have not appeared in the newspapers, but later you find that when you go to the schools those pupils have passed.
He said: “We believe that this is a private matter, when you write your exams you do it alone and no one sees your script, so why should they be able to see your results first.
“The department will see how this system works out for this year and then afterwards we will review the matter again.”
Results will be announced by the minister on January 5 and on the 6 the results will be available at schools.
@TebohoSeabelo
