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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 13 July 2026

Introduction

STEM ADVANTAGE is an online tutoring platform that connects students with verified tutors for scheduled learning sessions. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information when you visit our website, create an account, book sessions, or otherwise use our services.

This policy applies to students, tutors, and visitors. By using STEM ADVANTAGE, you acknowledge that your information will be handled as described here.

Information we collect

We collect information necessary to operate the platform, process bookings, and deliver tutoring sessions. The categories below reflect the data fields stored in our system today.

Account and profile information

  • Name and email address provided at registration
  • Password (stored only as a secure hash — we never store plain-text passwords)
  • Role (student, tutor, or administrator) and account status
  • Profile details such as bio and photo for tutors, where provided

Session and booking data

  • Subject, tutor, date, start time, and duration of booked sessions
  • Session status (pending payment, confirmed, completed, and related states)
  • Google Meet links generated for confirmed sessions
  • Quiz responses and materials access tied to specific sessions

Payment information

  • Amount paid in South African Rand (ZAR), formatted as R xxx.xx
  • Payment reference, gateway provider, and transaction status
  • We do not store full card or banking details — payment card data is processed directly by our payment gateways

Communications

  • Chat messages exchanged between a student and tutor while an active paid session window exists
  • Email notifications sent for account activation, session reminders, and related service events
  • Push notification preferences and subscription tokens, where enabled

Technical data

  • Session cookies used for authentication (Better Auth)
  • Basic server logs (IP address, browser type, request timestamps) for security and troubleshooting

How we use your information

We use the information described above to provide and improve the STEM ADVANTAGE service. Specific uses include:

  • Creating and managing your account
  • Processing session bookings and payments in ZAR
  • Scheduling sessions and generating Google Meet links
  • Sending service-related emails and push notifications
  • Enabling chat between students and tutors when a paid future session exists
  • Responding to support requests and tutor reports
  • Maintaining platform security and preventing abuse

Sharing with third parties

We share personal information with third-party service providers only where necessary to deliver the platform. We do not sell your data to third parties for marketing purposes.

  • Paystack — payment processing for transactions in ZAR. Paystack receives your email and payment details required to complete the transaction.
  • PayFast — alternative payment processing for transactions in ZAR, used when Paystack is unavailable or a previous payment attempt failed.
  • Google Calendar and Google Meet — when a session is confirmed, we create a calendar event with a Meet link and may include participant email addresses so both student and tutor can join the session.
  • Email delivery (SMTP) — your email address is shared with our configured mail provider to send transactional emails such as account invitations and session reminders.

Data retention and security

We retain your account data for as long as your account remains active and as needed to fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Session, payment, and chat records may be retained to support financial reconciliation, dispute resolution, and legal obligations.

We apply reasonable technical measures to protect your information, including HTTPS encryption in transit and role-based access controls within the platform. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information. Deletion requests may be limited where we are required to retain certain records — for example, confirmed payment and session records needed for financial and operational purposes.

To exercise these rights or ask questions about your data, please contact us using the details in the Contact section below.

International users

STEM ADVANTAGE operates in English with all prices displayed and charged in South African Rand (ZAR). Students based outside South Africa — including in Mozambique — pay in ZAR through our payment gateways using internationally accepted cards. We do not convert prices to other currencies.

All session times are displayed in South Africa Standard Time (SAST, UTC+2). We do not offer per-user timezone settings.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact

For privacy-related questions or requests, please reach us through the contact page.