EFF Backs Court Bid to Block Public Release of 2024 Matric Results, Citing Student Privacy and Mental Health Concerns

by Hope Ngobeni

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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has come out in full support of the ongoing court challenge against the Department of Basic Education regarding the public release of the 2024 matriculation examination results. The case, currently being heard in the High Court in Pretoria, is spearheaded by the Information Regulator, which argues that publishing individual exam results infringes on students’ privacy rights. The outcome of this legal challenge could potentially halt the decades-old practice of releasing the results on media platforms, which has long been a tradition in South Africa.

The EFF has strongly criticized the public dissemination of matric results, particularly highlighting the harm it causes to students with poor performance. According to the party, the practice creates an environment where students are subjected to public ridicule, humiliation, and undue stress. EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys emphasized that the release of individual results does nothing to enhance the educational system. Instead, it exacerbates feelings of inadequacy among young people, particularly those who may not have performed as well as their peers.

For years, the Department of Basic Education has published the results in newspapers and shared them on various digital platforms, making the academic achievements or failures of students widely accessible. The EFF believes that this public exposure leads to significant negative mental health outcomes, with some students experiencing severe emotional distress, including suicidal thoughts and self-harm, due to the pressure of academic performance. The party argues that the results, being personal to each learner, should not be treated as public information, as doing so serves no societal benefit.

Mathys further criticized the Department and organizations like Afriforum, which have defended the release of the results in the name of the “public interest.” She described these arguments as “shallow and misleading,” claiming that they overlook the very real psychological and emotional toll that public scrutiny of students can have. The EFF argues that education should not be a platform for competition or humiliation but should focus on empowering young people and fostering an environment where their individual efforts are valued over public comparisons.

The EFF’s stance is rooted in the belief that education should be a tool for personal growth and self-improvement, not a means for capitalist competition or societal judgment. The party asserts that a student’s worth should be determined by their efforts and potential, not by the public display of their exam results. By turning education into a “rat race” where performance is the sole measure of success, Mathys argues, the system discourages young people from striving to improve, creating an atmosphere of fear and inadequacy instead of motivation.

The party has made it clear that it will be closely monitoring the legal proceedings and is fully committed to supporting the interdict against the public release of matric results. In doing so, the EFF hopes to encourage a shift in how South Africa views academic performance, advocating for a system that fosters personal development, mental well-being, and a more supportive approach to education overall.

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