Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 19, 2025

1. Introduction

SkootBook ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union.

SkootBook is an objectives management system designed for South African Foundation Phase education (Grades R-3), enabling teachers to track student progress and manage intervention groups.

2. Information Officer / Data Protection Officer

Our Information Officer (as required by POPIA) and Data Protection Officer (as required by GDPR) is responsible for ensuring compliance with data protection laws.

Contact Details:

Please visit our Support Page to contact us

3. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following categories of personal information:

School Administrator Information:

  • Name and contact details

  • School name and address

  • Email address

  • Authentication credentials (securely encrypted)

Teacher Information:

  • Name and contact details

  • Email address

  • Grade and class assignments

  • Authentication credentials (securely encrypted)

Student Information:

  • First name and surname

  • Grade and class assignments

  • Academic assessment data

  • Intervention group assignments

Technical Information:

  • IP address and device information

  • Browser type and version

  • Usage data and log files

4. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information

Under POPIA and GDPR, we process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Consent:

You have given explicit consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes when you register for and use our services.

Contractual Necessity:

Processing is necessary to provide the educational services you have requested.

Legitimate Interests:

Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in providing and improving our educational platform, ensuring system security, and analyzing usage patterns.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our educational platform

  • To enable teachers to set objectives and track student progress

  • To generate intervention groups based on student performance

  • To generate reports and analytics for educational purposes

  • To communicate with users about their accounts and services

  • To improve and optimize our platform functionality

  • To ensure system security and prevent unauthorized access

  • To comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes

6. Data Sharing and Third-Party Disclosure

We never share your personal information with third parties.

Your personal information remains strictly confidential and is not sold, rented, or disclosed to any third parties for marketing, commercial, or any other purposes. We do not engage in data sharing practices with external organizations.

The only exceptions to this policy are:

  • When required by law or legal process

  • To protect the rights, property, or safety of SkootBook, our users, or the public

  • With your explicit written consent

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

  • Encrypted data transmission using SSL/TLS protocols

  • Secure password storage using industry-standard hashing algorithms

  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments

  • Access controls and authentication mechanisms

  • Regular data backups and disaster recovery procedures

  • Employee training on data protection and privacy

  • Multi-tenant data isolation to prevent cross-school data access

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Active User Data:

Retained for the duration of your active account

Student Assessment Data:

Retained for the current and previous academic year, or as required by educational regulations

Inactive Accounts:

Data may be anonymized or deleted after 24 months of inactivity

Log Files:

Retained for up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes

9. Your Rights Under POPIA and GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right of Access:

Request access to your personal information we hold

Right to Rectification:

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information

Right to Erasure:

Request deletion of your personal information under certain circumstances

Right to Data Portability:

Request transfer of your personal information in a structured, commonly used format

Right to Object:

Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes

Right to Restrict Processing:

Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances

Right to Withdraw Consent:

Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To Exercise Your Rights:

Please visit our Support Page to submit a request

We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by POPIA and GDPR.

10. Children's Privacy

SkootBook is designed for use in Foundation Phase education (children aged 5-9 years). We recognize the importance of protecting children's personal information:

  • Student accounts are created and managed by authorized school staff

  • We collect only the minimum information necessary for educational purposes

  • Student information is accessible only to authorized teachers and administrators within their school

  • Parents/guardians have the right to access, review, and request deletion of their child's information by contacting their school administrator

  • We never use student information for marketing or commercial purposes

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance user experience and maintain session security:

Essential Cookies:

Required for authentication and platform functionality

Session Cookies:

Maintain your login session and user preferences

Security Cookies:

Protect against unauthorized access and fraudulent activity

You can configure your browser to refuse cookies, but this may limit your ability to use certain features of our platform.

12. International Data Transfers

Your personal information is stored and processed in South Africa. We do not transfer personal information outside of South Africa without appropriate safeguards in accordance with POPIA and GDPR requirements.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy on our website

  • Sending email notifications to registered users

  • Displaying a prominent notice within the platform

Your continued use of SkootBook after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Complaints and Enforcement

If you have concerns about our privacy practices or believe your rights have been violated, you may:

Contact Us:

Visit our Support Page to contact our Information Officer

Lodge a Complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa):

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg

Lodge a Complaint with Your Supervisory Authority (EU):

If you are in the EU, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

15. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, including requests to remove identifiable information from the website, please contact:

SkootBook Information Officer

Contact: Visit our Support Page to reach our Information Officer

Response Time: We will respond to all requests within 30 days

Acknowledgment

By using SkootBook, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy and our commitment to protecting your personal information in accordance with POPIA and GDPR.