Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Axcended Tutoring ("Axcended", "we", "us", or "our") operates the website axcended.co.za and all associated sub-pages. We are an educational platform that connects students with private tutors across South Africa.

Axcended Tutoring acts as the Responsible Party in terms of POPIA for all personal information processed through this website.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account registration:Full name, email address, and password when you create an account.
• Tutor applications:Name, contact details, subjects taught, qualifications, bank account information (for payment), and identity documents.
• Booking requests:Name, contact number, grade, subject, and preferred lesson times.
• Student registrations:Student and parent/guardian details, grade, school name, and subjects.
• Forum & comments:Any content you post publicly on our forum or in article comments.
• Messages:Conversations exchanged between students and tutors on the platform.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data:Pages visited, article views, time spent on pages, and interaction patterns.
• Device information:Browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and IP address.
• Referral source:How you arrived at our website (e.g., search engine, social media link).

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Google Sign-In:If you choose to sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from Google.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information only for lawful purposes, including:

• Creating and managing your account on the Axcended platform.
• Matching students with suitable tutors based on subject, grade, and location.
• Processing tutor applications and onboarding.
• Sending booking confirmations, lesson reminders, and platform notifications.
• Processing payments to tutors and maintaining financial records.
• Enabling communication between students, tutors, and parents.
• Displaying your publicly shared content (forum posts, article comments, ratings).
• Improving the website's functionality, content, and user experience.
• Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations in South Africa.
• Sending you occasional updates about Axcended — you may unsubscribe at any time.

We will not use your personal information for any purpose incompatible with the reason it was collected without obtaining your consent.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Between platform users:Tutor profiles (name, subjects, rates, bio) are visible to all website visitors. Student details are only shared with the specific tutor involved in a booking.
• Service providers:We use Google Firebase (Firestore, Authentication, and Storage) to operate our platform. Firebase is bound by Google's data processing terms and stores data in compliance with international standards.
• Legal requirements:We may disclose your information if required by a court order, law, or South African government authority.
• Business transfers:If Axcended Tutoring is acquired or merges with another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before this occurs.

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely on Google Firebase servers. Firebase uses industry-standard encryption at rest and in transit (TLS/SSL). Access to data is controlled by Firestore security rules that ensure users can only access information they are authorised to view.

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to provide our services. If you close your account or request deletion, we will delete or anonymise your data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain it longer.

While we take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, no system is 100% secure. You accept the inherent risks of transmitting information over the internet.

6. Cookies & Analytics

We use Firebase Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. This involves the use of cookies — small text files stored on your device. These cookies collect anonymous usage data such as page views and session duration.

Google Sign-In and Firebase Authentication also use cookies to maintain your login session. These are essential to the operation of the platform and cannot be disabled without preventing sign-in functionality.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. Blocking all cookies may affect certain features of the website.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject in terms of POPIA, you have the following rights:

• Right of access:You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to correction:You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to deletion:You may request the deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Right to object:You may object to the processing of your information for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to complain:If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the details provided in section 10 below.

8. Children's Privacy

Our platform serves students from Grade 1 upwards, which includes children under the age of 18. Where a student is a minor, we require that a parent or guardian register on their behalf and provide consent for the collection and use of the student's personal information.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without verifiable parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or via the platform.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the platform after changes are published constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer: