Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Scope

Welcome to Edusphere, a comprehensive school management platform designed for Ghanaian educational institutions. This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the Edusphere platform, including:

Schools: Educational institutions that use our platform for administrative management
Parents/Guardians: Individuals who access their children's academic information through our Parent Portal
Students: Learners whose academic data is managed through our platform
Teachers/Staff: Educators and administrative personnel who use our system
General Users: Visitors to our website and platform

By using Edusphere, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data with transparency and care.

2. Information We Collect

We collect different types of information depending on your role and interaction with our platform:

Information Provided Directly by You:

User Type	Information Collected
Schools	School name, address, contact details, administrator information, academic data, staff details, fee structures, policies
Parents/Guardians	Name, contact information (phone, email), relationship to student, access credentials, communication preferences
Students	Name, date of birth, class/grade, academic records, attendance data, assessment results, behavioral notes
Teachers/Staff	Name, contact information, qualifications, employment details, teaching assignments, communications
All Users	Account credentials, communication records, preferences, support queries

Information Collected Automatically:

Usage Data: How you interact with our platform, features used, time spent
Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
Log Data: Server logs, error reports, performance data
Location Data: General location (country/city) based on IP address

Important: For student data, we act as a data processor on behalf of schools, which are the data controllers. Schools determine what student information is collected and how it is used within the platform.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

For Platform Operation:

To provide and maintain our school management services
To enable communication between schools, teachers, parents, and students
To process academic data (attendance, grades, assignments, reports)
To manage school profiles, events, and announcements
To facilitate teacher recruitment and tutoring opportunities

For User Experience:

To personalize your experience and provide relevant content
To improve platform functionality and develop new features
To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
To send important updates about the platform or your account

For Security & Compliance:

To verify user identities and prevent unauthorized access
To detect, prevent, and address technical issues or security breaches
To comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights
To analyze usage patterns for platform optimization

Legal Basis for Processing: We process personal information based on (1) your consent, (2) the need to perform our contractual obligations, (3) legitimate interests, or (4) compliance with legal requirements.

4. Data Sharing & Disclosure

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

With Your Consent:

When you explicitly authorize us to share information
When you use features that require sharing (e.g., teacher announcements)

Between Platform Users:

Schools control what student information is visible to parents through the Parent Portal
Teachers can view student information for their assigned classes
Schools determine what information is displayed on their public profiles
Announcements are shared based on user-selected visibility settings

With Service Providers:

Cloud hosting providers for data storage
Communication services for sending notifications
Analytics tools to improve our services
Payment processors (if applicable)

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the services they provide to us.

For Legal & Safety Reasons:

To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes
To protect the safety, rights, or property of Edusphere, our users, or the public
To enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements
In connection with a business transfer (merger, acquisition, or sale of assets)

5. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your information:

Technical Safeguards:

Encryption: Data in transit is encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols
Access Controls: Role-based access ensures users only see information relevant to their role
Authentication: Secure login with PIN/access codes for Parent Portal
Network Security: Firewalls, intrusion detection, and regular security audits
Data Backup: Regular backups to prevent data loss

Organizational Measures:

Employee training on data protection and privacy
Strict confidentiality agreements for all team members
Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
Incident response plan for potential data breaches

User Responsibility: While we implement strong security measures, you also play a role in protecting your information. Please keep your login credentials confidential and notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to your account.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

Retention Periods:

Active School Accounts: Retained while the school uses our platform and for a reasonable period thereafter for operational, legal, or regulatory purposes
Student Records: Retained according to school policies and Ghanaian educational record-keeping requirements
Parent Accounts: Retained while active and for a period after deactivation to comply with legal obligations
Platform Usage Data: Retained for analytics and improvement purposes, typically for 24 months
Announcements: Temporarily stored and automatically removed after defined periods as described in our operational document

Data Deletion:

Upon account closure, we will delete or anonymize personal data within 90 days, except where retention is required by law
Schools can request deletion of specific student records through their administrator accounts
Parents can request deletion of their personal accounts by contacting us

7. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location and the applicable laws, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access & Correction:

Right to Access: You can request details about what personal information we hold about you
Right to Correction: You can request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format

Control Over Your Information:

Right to Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances
Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your information
Right to Object: You can object to certain types of processing
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw consent at any time

How to Exercise Your Rights:

Parents/Guardians: Contact your child's school administrator first, as they control most student data
Schools: Use the administrative controls in your Edusphere dashboard
All Users: Contact our Data Protection Officer using the information in Section 12

We will respond to legitimate requests within 30 days, though complex requests may take longer. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

8. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our platform:

Types of Cookies We Use:

Essential Cookies: Required for platform functionality (login, security, basic features)
Performance Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
Analytics Cookies: Help us improve our services by collecting anonymous usage data

Your Cookie Choices:

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings
You can set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent
Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality
We do not currently use cookies for behavioral advertising

We may update our cookie practices from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated through platform updates or direct notifications.

9. Third-Party Services

Our platform may contain links to or integrations with third-party services:

External Links:

Our website may contain links to external sites not operated by us
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit

Integrated Services:

Cloud Infrastructure: We use reputable cloud providers for hosting and storage
Communication Tools: We may integrate with email or SMS services for notifications
Analytics Services: We use analytics tools to improve our platform

All third-party service providers are carefully vetted and bound by contractual agreements that require them to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

10. Children's Privacy

Edusphere is designed to serve educational institutions and their communities, including children (students). We take children's privacy seriously:

Our Approach:

Student data is collected and processed by schools, not directly by Edusphere
We act as a data processor for student information, with schools as the data controllers
Student data is only accessible through secure, role-based access controls
Parental consent for student data processing is obtained by the schools, not Edusphere

Parental Controls:

Parents can access their child's information through the secure Parent Portal
Parents can request corrections or limitations on their child's data through the school
Parents control their own account settings and communication preferences

Important for Schools: As data controllers for student information, schools are responsible for obtaining necessary parental consents and ensuring compliance with applicable children's privacy laws and regulations in Ghana.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

Notification of Changes:

We will post the updated Privacy Policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
For significant changes, we may provide additional notice through email or platform notifications
Schools will be notified of material changes that affect how student data is handled

Your Continued Use:

By continuing to use Edusphere after changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you should discontinue using our platform.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Edusphere Data Protection Officer

Address: Education Innovation Hub, Accra Digital Centre, Accra, Ghana

Email: privacy@edusphere.com

Phone: +233 24 123 4567

WhatsApp: +233 59 318 3761

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM GMT

For Schools:

If you are a school administrator with questions about data protection, please contact your Edusphere account manager or our support team at support@edusphere.com.

Complaints:

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in Ghana.

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