Matric results: transparency and accountability must win

THE ongoing debacle between Afriforum and the Information Regulator (IR) about the publication of matric results in newspapers is unresolved and we are less than a week away from the release of matriculant marks.

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The stalemate position about the public release of the matriculant marks brings to the fore concerns of the POPIA Act and the stance against the principles of accountability and transparency which is much needed in South Africa considering the continual lack of it which has contributed to high frequency of corruption and bribery which has been recently unveiled.

More importantly, the anticipated mark release will clearly give South Africans an indication of the educational development of our youth, the trajectory and an understanding of where the educational gaps are at present. This perspective is based on the fact that the schooling systems in South Africa remains skewed and unequal.

Learners enrolled at government-funded schools in South Africa still experience class overcrowding, a lack of resources, and the employment of teachers who lack experience and in some cases, appropriate qualifications. Research and statistics have always indicated that learners at schools that are graded quintile 4 and above perform better in the final grade 12 results which ensure entry into tertiary educational institutions.