ScienceXperts eTutoring Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

ScienceXperts eTutoring Programme

Version 1.2  |  Last updated: 01 August 2026  |  Effective date: 01 August 2026

 

Summary

We collect only the information we need to tutor your child well and to run your account.

Because almost all our learners are under 18, a parent or guardian gives consent for everything, and we keep a record of that consent. Utilising our service serves as agreement to this privacy policy.

We never sell personal information, and we never use learners’ sensitive information for marketing. Where consent is given, learners’ anonymised information relating to academics may be shared (testimonials, results etc.)

You can see, correct or delete your information at any time, and you can complain to the Information Regulator if you believe we have gone wrong.

 

1. Who we are

This policy explains how ScienceXperts eTutoring (ScienceXperts (Pty) Ltd | Reg; 2026/599294/07), of Observatory, Cape Town, 7925,collects, uses, shares and protects personal information. In the language of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, better known as POPIA, we are the "responsible party", and this policy is our notice to you under section 18 of that Act. In plainer language: your family trusts us with personal information, and this document explains exactly what we do with it.

Information Officer: Bonginkosi Nyawo, reachable at sciencexpertstutoring@gmail.com. Our Information Officer is your first port of call for anything in this policy.

 

2. Learners under 18: how consent works

POPIA does not allow us to process a child’s personal information without the consent of what the Act calls a "competent person", which in everyday terms means a parent or legal guardian. Since almost all of our learners are under 18, we have built the whole service around that rule:

• Accounts are opened by a parent or guardian, who is the account holder. The learner is enrolled on that account, and the parent or guardian gives consent for the learner’s information at sign-up.

• We keep a record of every consent we receive, including who gave it and when.

• We never use a learner’s information for marketing of any kind, and we never ask a learner for more information than tutoring actually requires.

• A parent or guardian may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us. Before anything changes, we will explain clearly what withdrawing would mean for the service, so you can decide with full information.

If your learner would like to understand this policy for themselves, a plain-language summary written for learners is available on request. We think that is only fair, since the information is theirs.

 

3. What we collect and why

Information, Why we collect it, Required or optional

Parent or guardian: full name, email, phone number, billing details

This is how we run your account, take payment through Paystack/Other billing service, and stay in touch with you about scheduling, billing and your learner’s progress.

Required. Without it we simply cannot provide the service.

Learner: name, grade, school subjects, academic goals

This is what lets us match your learner with the right tutor and pitch the tutoring at the right level.

 

Required for tutoring to work well.

Learner: results, assessment outcomes, session attendance

This is how we track progress over time and report it back to you.

Collected naturally as part of tutoring.

 

Technical information: device and usage information from our website, cookies

This keeps the website working properly, remembers your preferences and helps us understand how the site is used.

Optional. You can disable cookies in your browser, though parts of the site may work less smoothly.

 

The lawful bases we rely on under POPIA are the consent of the account holder, the performance of our tutoring agreement with you, and our legitimate interest in running and improving the service. We collect information directly from you, not from other sources.

 

4. Who we share information with

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information, full stop. We share it only where the service genuinely needs it:

• Your tutor, Subject Advisors and admin team sees the learner’s name, subjects, level and scheduling needs. In other words, only what they need to teach or operate well.

• Paystack/Other billing service, our payment processor, handles billing and recurring payments.

• The service providers that run our video sessions, messaging, file storage and website, for example Google, Zoom and WhatsApp, process information strictly for delivering the service.

Every third party we work with is bound to confidentiality and may use the information only to deliver its service to us. If we are ever required by law to disclose information, we will comply, and where the law allows it we will tell you first.

 

4.1 Information that leaves South Africa

Some of our service providers, such as our video, storage and payment platforms, process information on servers outside South Africa. Where that happens, section 72 of POPIA applies, and we only use providers whose protection of your information is substantially similar to POPIA’s, whether through their own binding rules, their contracts with us, or the laws they operate under.

 

5. Session recordings

Some sessions may be recorded, whether for quality assurance, for safeguarding, or so that a learner can revise from them later. If a session is going to be recorded, we say so before it starts, and recording only ever happens with the consent of the parent or guardian, given either at enrolment when agreeing to pursue our services. Recordings are stored securely, are never shared outside ScienceXperts without your explicit consent, are deleted when no longer needed and in any event within 36 months, and are deleted earlier the moment you ask.

 

6. Marketing and cookies

We only send electronic marketing, such as newsletters or offers, to parents and guardians who have opted in, and every message includes a working unsubscribe option. We never send marketing to learners, under any circumstances. Our website uses cookies to keep the site working, remember your preferences and analyse traffic, and you can disable them in your browser settings whenever you like.

 

7. How we protect information

We use appropriate administrative and technical safeguards to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction, including access controls and secure storage. We will be honest with you: no internet service anywhere can promise perfect security. What we can promise is this: if we ever have reason to believe your personal information has been accessed by an unauthorised person, we will notify the Information Regulator and the affected account holders as soon as reasonably possible, as section 22 of POPIA requires, and we will tell you plainly what happened and what we are doing about it.

 

8. How long we keep information

We keep information only as long as it genuinely serves you or the law requires:

• Account and academic records are kept for the duration of enrolment plus 3 years, in case your learner returns or needs records for school purposes.

• Billing and payment records are kept for 5 years, because tax law requires it.

• Session recordings are kept for no longer than 36 months, or deleted earlier on request.

• Consent records are kept for as long as the consent is relied on, plus 3 years.

Once these periods pass, the information is securely deleted or anonymised.

 

9. Your rights

Under POPIA, these rights are yours to use at any time:

• You can ask what personal information we hold about you or your child, and we will give you a copy.

• You can ask us to correct anything that is wrong or incomplete, and we will.

• You can ask us to delete information, subject only to the retention the law requires of us.

• You can object to processing, or withdraw a consent you gave earlier.

• And if you believe we have processed information unlawfully, you can complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa. The Regulator’s contact details are at www.inforegulator.org.za.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer at sciencexpertstutoring@gmail.com. We respond within a reasonable time, and always within the periods POPIA sets.

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10. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy in any meaningful way, we will email account holders before the change takes effect and update the version number and date at the top. And we will never quietly reduce your rights under a consent you have already given: if that ever needs to change, we will ask you again.

 

11. Contact

For privacy questions and requests, contact our Information Officer, Bonginkosi Nyawo, at sciencexpertstutoring@gmail.com or on WhatsApp at 067 248 6493. We are glad to help.