Terms of Service (School Subscription Agreement)
1. Introduction
These Terms and Conditions govern the use of BantuSchools, a school management platform operated by Bantu Sphere Pvt Limited and/or its affiliated entities (“BantuSchools”, “we”, “our”, “us”).
By registering for, accessing, or using BantuSchools, the School agrees to be legally bound by these Terms.
2. Definitions
School means the educational institution subscribing to BantuSchools.
Users means authorised employees, teachers, administrators, students, parents and guardians accessing the Platform.
Platform means the BantuSchools website, mobile applications, APIs and related services.
Data means all information entered into or generated by the Platform.
3. Eligibility
The School warrants that:
- it is legally authorised to operate;
- it has authority to enter into this Agreement;
- it will only provide lawful information;
- it will obtain any necessary consents from parents, guardians, students and employees.
4. Services Provided
BantuSchools may provide:
- Student Information Management
- Admissions Management
- Parent Communications
- Attendance Management
- Timetable Management
- Teacher Management
- Fee Management
- Reporting and Analytics
- Learning Tools
- Cloud Storage
- Future AI Services
Services may change from time to time.
5. Account Responsibility
The School shall:
- maintain secure credentials;
- restrict access to authorised users;
- immediately notify BantuSchools of unauthorised access;
- ensure staff follow security requirements.
The School remains responsible for all activity conducted through its account.
6. School Data Ownership
The School retains ownership of all School Data.
BantuSchools does not claim ownership of:
- student records;
- staff records;
- parent information;
- attendance records;
- examination results;
- financial records.
The School grants BantuSchools a limited licence to host, process, back up and transmit data solely for providing services.
7. Data Accuracy
The School is responsible for:
- accuracy of uploaded data;
- compliance with laws;
- obtaining parental consent where required;
- maintaining updated records.
BantuSchools shall not be liable for decisions made using inaccurate data supplied by the School.
8. Children's Data
The School acknowledges that student data may include information relating to minors.
The School confirms it has lawful authority to submit and process such information.
The School shall ensure all necessary parental or guardian permissions have been obtained.
9. Fees and Payment
The School agrees to pay all applicable fees.
Payments are non-refundable except where required by law.
Failure to pay may result in:
- suspension;
- restricted access;
- account termination.
10. Intellectual Property
All intellectual property relating to software, branding, code, databases, AI systems, and documentation remains the exclusive property of BantuSchools.
11. Service Availability
BantuSchools will use reasonable efforts to provide continuous availability. However, the School acknowledges that interruptions may occur due to maintenance, cyber attacks, power failures, internet outages, or third-party providers. No guarantee of uninterrupted service is provided.
12. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, BantuSchools shall not be liable for:
- indirect losses;
- loss of profits;
- loss of revenue;
- loss of goodwill;
- loss of educational outcomes;
- regulatory penalties imposed on the School.
Maximum liability shall not exceed fees paid during the previous twelve months.
13. Indemnity
The School shall indemnify BantuSchools against claims arising from:
- unlawful data processing;
- copyright infringement;
- inaccurate information;
- misuse of the Platform;
- violations of applicable laws.
14. Suspension and Termination
BantuSchools may suspend access where:
- fees remain unpaid;
- unlawful activity is suspected;
- security risks arise;
- these Terms are breached.
15. Data Export
Upon termination:
- The School may request a copy of its data within 90 days.
- After this period BantuSchools may permanently delete the data.
16. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by the laws of Zimbabwe.
Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of Zimbabwean courts.
Privacy Policy
Information Collected
We may collect:
School Information: school name, registration details, address, contact information.
Student Information: names, admission numbers, date of birth, attendance records, academic records, medical information where provided.
Parent Information: names, phone numbers, email addresses, payment records.
Staff Information: employment records, qualifications, contact information.
Technical Information: IP addresses, device information, browser data, audit logs.
Purpose of Processing
Information is processed to:
- deliver services;
- manage accounts;
- provide reports;
- communicate with users;
- improve services;
- comply with legal obligations.
Legal Basis
Processing may be based on:
- contractual necessity;
- legal obligations;
- legitimate interests;
- consent where required.
Security
We implement:
- encryption in transit;
- role-based permissions;
- backups;
- audit logging;
- access controls.
No system can guarantee absolute security.
International Transfers
Data may be processed in Zimbabwe or other jurisdictions where our infrastructure providers operate. Appropriate safeguards shall be implemented.
Data Retention
Information shall only be retained for as long as necessary. Retention periods may vary depending on educational requirements, legal obligations, and contractual obligations.
User Rights
Users may request access, correction, deletion where legally permissible, and restriction of processing. Requests should be submitted through official support channels.
Data Processing Agreement
School = Data Controller. The School determines why data is collected.
BantuSchools = Data Processor. BantuSchools processes data on behalf of the School.
This allocation is extremely important legally.
Acceptable Use Policy
Prohibited activities include:
- uploading malware;
- hacking attempts;
- unlawful surveillance;
- storing illegal content;
- copyright infringement;
- harassment;
- misuse of student information.
Violation may result in immediate suspension.
Cyber Attack Clause
BantuSchools shall not be liable for losses resulting from sophisticated cyber attacks beyond reasonable control.
Force Majeure
This covers internet outages, power failures, natural disasters, government restrictions, war, and civil unrest.