Before you publish this: this policy was drafted to cover the data BNA STEM Academy actually collects, structured around South Africa's POPIA principles. It is a starting point, not a substitute for review by an attorney familiar with POPIA, especially because this platform processes data belonging to minors (students under 18), which POPIA treats as a special category requiring parental/guardian consent (Section 35). Please have this reviewed before it goes live.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: [Add date]

1. Who we are

BNA STEM Academy ("we", "us", "our") operates an online tutoring platform for Mathematics and Physical Sciences. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have over it, in line with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

2. Information we collect

Account information: name, email address, password (stored as a secure hash, never in plain text).
Student information: South African ID number, date of birth, gender, phone number, grade level, subject enrollments, class attendance, grades, and homework submissions.
Tutor information: phone number, professional email, bio, timezone, and (where applicable) uploaded qualifications/credentials.
Payment-related information: we do not process card payments on this platform. For manual EFT payments, we retain proof-of-payment records for reconciliation purposes only.
Usage information: login timestamps and basic activity logs needed to operate the portal (e.g. quiz submissions, class join times).

3. Children's / minors' information

Many of our students are under the age of 18. Where a student is a minor, registration should be completed with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian. We collect only the information necessary to provide tutoring services (identity verification, contact details, academic records) and do not use minors' information for marketing purposes.

4. Why we collect this information

To create and manage student, tutor, and admin accounts
To verify identity (South African ID validation) and prevent fraudulent registrations
To deliver tutoring services: scheduling classes, tracking attendance, marking assignments, and issuing grades
To communicate with you about your account, classes, and payments
To review and approve tutor applications
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

5. How we store and protect your information

Data is stored in a PostgreSQL database hosted by Neon, with access restricted to authorized administrators. Passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text. We use industry-standard practices such as input validation and sanitization to guard against common attacks. No system is 100% secure, and we continue to improve our security practices over time.

6. Who we share information with

We do not sell personal information. We may share limited information with:

Service providers who help us operate the platform (e.g. hosting provider, email delivery provider)
Tutors, limited to the information needed to teach and support their assigned students
Legal or regulatory authorities where required by law

7. Your rights under POPIA

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
Request deletion of your information, subject to legal/record-keeping requirements
Object to processing of your information in certain circumstances
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at bnastemacademy@gmail.com.

8. Data retention

We retain account and academic records for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period afterward to meet legal, tax, and record-keeping obligations. [Add specific retention periods once determined.]

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or a notice on the platform.

10. Contact us

Email: bnastemacademy@gmail.com or mabasabeyonce1@gmail.com
Phone: 067 025 1855