In total, 897,786 matrics registered to write the 2021 NSC examinations, of which 82% were full-time candidates.
Marking began two days later and, with a force of more than 41,500 markers, wrapped up on 22 December 2021.
Umalusi approved the release of the results on Tuesday, 18 January 2022.
However, the council barred the Department of Basic Education (DBE) from releasing the results of candidates implicated in group copying and those who gained early access to the question papers.
Umalusi chair John Volmink said that these irregularities must be investigated.
“The DBE is required to block the results of candidates implicated in irregularities, including the candidates involved in group copying, pending the outcome of further DBE investigation,” Volmink said.
Until recently, the publication of individual matric results was controversial as the DBE decided it would not post learners’ results on public platforms.
The DBE explained this was necessary to comply with the recently-enacted Protection of Personal Information Act.
However, the Pretoria High Court ruled that the DBE should continue publishing matric results publicly, including in newspapers and online.
There are many ways for matriculants who wrote their exams last year to get their results, including SMSes, online portals, and using a mobile app.
Alternatively, learners can take the more traditional approach of getting their results from their school or centre where they wrote the exams.
Those who do not wish to travel to their school or exam centre can use the methods listed below.
The Department of Basic Education’s website
Candidates’ partial results will be made available on the DBE website.
To get their results, learners have to navigate to the DBE website and register with their details including, ID number, exam number, and email address.
The DBE website is zero-rated, which means learners can access it whether they have data or not.
Sowetan Live matric portal
The Sowetan Live matric portal offers learners the opportunity to register in advance to get their results as they are released.
Alternatively, once the results have been released, learners can navigate to the portal and enter their matric number or school name to access their results.
The Sowetan Live matric results website uses data from the DBE and the Independent Examinations Board (IEB).
News24 matric results portal
News24 also works with the DBE and IEB to provide learners with their matric results.
Students can enter their examination number or school name on the portal to view their results.
The portal also compares the matric pass rate over the last five years.
SABC Education’s MatricsMate app for Android and iOS
SABC Education partnered with the DBE to make matric results easily accessible to learners through the MatricMate app.
The app is available for both the Android and iOS operating systems.
The app also provides registered users information about different opportunities to help further their studies and careers.
Matric results through SMS or USSD
Matric learners can register to receive their results by SMSing their exam number to 45856 or dialling *120*45856# and entering it.
Once verified, the learner’s results will be sent to them as they become available.
This method charges R1.50 per SMS, or R1.50 per minute on the USSD service.
Daily newspapers
The 2021 matric results will be published in most of South Africa’s major daily newspapers on 21 January 2021.
To find their results, matrics (and their families) will have to know their exam numbers as their names are not published.