TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SCHOOLMASTER ZM

Last Updated: 29/08/2025

By accessing or using SchoolMaster ZM ("the System"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. Please read them carefully.

1. Introduction

SchoolMaster ZM ("the System") is a proprietary, cloud-based school management platform developed and maintained by Optimyze Technologies Limited. It is designed to facilitate administrative, academic, financial, and communication operations within educational institutions. By accessing, registering, or utilizing the System, you ("the User") acknowledge that you have read, understood, and irrevocably agreed to comply with these Terms, including all referenced policies.

This agreement constitutes a legally binding contract between the User and the School implementing the System. If you do not accept these Terms, you must immediately cease all use of the System.

2. Definitions

• User: Any individual or entity authorized to access the System (administrators, teachers, parents, students, staff).
• School: The educational institution deploying the System.
• System Provider: Optimyze Technologies Limited, developer and maintainer of SchoolMaster ZM.
• Personal Data: Information identifying a natural person (e.g., names, ID numbers, academic records, financial data).
• Applicable Data Protection Laws: Includes the Data Protection Act (Zambia), GDPR (where relevant), and other jurisdictional regulations.

3. Purpose & Acceptable Use

The System is strictly for educational and administrative functions. Users agree to:

• Access the System only for lawful, authorized, and school-related activities.
• Refrain from unauthorized access, reverse engineering, data mining, or commercial exploitation.
• Comply with all School policies, professional codes of conduct, and applicable laws.
• Avoid introducing malware, spam, or any activity that disrupts service availability.

4. User Obligations

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration or data entry.
• Safeguard login credentials and immediately report suspicious activity or breaches.
• Refrain from account sharing, impersonation, or circumventing access restrictions.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws when inputting or processing data.

Failure to comply may result in suspension, termination of access, or legal action.

5. Data Collection & Processing

The School collects and processes Personal Data for legitimate purposes, including:

• Student admissions, academic records, and attendance tracking.
• Staff management, payroll, and HR operations.
• Financial transactions (invoicing, receipting, fee management).
• Institutional reporting, regulatory compliance, and archival requirements.

By using the System, Users consent to the lawful collection, processing, storage, and use of Personal Data under Applicable Data Protection Laws.

6. Data Protection, Security & Confidentiality

The School and System Provider are committed to safeguarding data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Security measures include:

• Encryption of data at-rest and in-transit (AES-256, TLS/SSL).
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to enforce least-privilege principles.
• Comprehensive audit logs to track user activity for accountability.
• Third-party service providers (e.g., payment processors, hosting services) bound by confidentiality and data protection agreements.

Breach Notification: In the event of a confirmed data breach, the System Provider will notify the School’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) within 72 hours of discovery, including details of the breach, potential impact, and remediation measures.

Data Subject Rights: Users may exercise their rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, and data portability by submitting a written request to the DPO.

Data Hosting & Transfers: Data is securely hosted on servers managed by Optimyze-approved providers. Where cross-border data transfers are necessary, they are governed by lawful transfer mechanisms compliant with applicable regulations.

Business Continuity: The System maintains backup, disaster recovery, and high-availability strategies to ensure service resilience.

7. Data Retention & Deletion Policy

7.1 Retention Periods

Data Category	Retention Period	Legal Basis
Student Records	7 years post-graduation/withdrawal	Education Act; archival for transcripts, certification
Staff Records	7 years post-termination	Labor laws; payroll and tax compliance
Financial Data	10 years	ZRA statutory audit and Companies Act compliance
Disabled Accounts	Revoked immediately; retained as per retention schedule	Disputes, reporting, compliance

7.2 Account Deactivation

Accounts for departing staff or students are disabled immediately. Retained data remains subject to compliance and audit requirements but is inaccessible to inactive users.

7.3 Data Deletion Requests

Users or legal guardians may request deletion via written submission to the DPO. Data required for ongoing legal proceedings, audits, or certifications may be exempted.

7.4 Secure Disposal

• Digital data permanently erased using NIST 800-88 or ISO/IEC 27040 standards.
• Physical records securely shredded or incinerated with documented proof.

8. Payment Processing (via Flutterwave)

All financial transactions processed through the System are subject to transaction fees:

Payment Method	Local Fees	International Fees
Local Debit/Credit Cards	3.5%	N/A
International Cards	N/A	4.8% + 0.4% (currency conversion)
Mobile Money	2.5%	N/A
Bank Transfer (Local)	ZMW 4 flat	Variable

Example Transaction:

• Amount Charged: ZMW 20.60
• Customer Fee: ZMW 0.60
• Merchant Fee: ZMW 0.40
• Net Settlement to School: ZMW 19.60

By submitting payment, Users agree to all applicable deductions and settlement policies.

9. Parental/Guardian Consent

Submission of online enrollment forms or fee payments constitutes parental/guardian consent to these Terms. Parents/guardians who object must contact the School directly. Non-acceptance may limit enrollment or access to services.

10. Amendments & Governing Law

• The School reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updates will be communicated through official channels.
• Continued use of the System after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
• These Terms are governed by the laws of Zambia. Disputes shall first be addressed through mediation before formal legal proceedings.

11. Contact Information

For inquiries, including data access, deletion, or incident reports:

Data Protection Officer (DPO):
Allen Donald
Email: schoolmaster@optimyzetech.net
Phone: +27 71 909 2239

SchoolMaster ZM Support Team:
Email: schoolmaster@optimyzetech.net

Response Time: Formal requests will be acknowledged within 7 business days and resolved per statutory timelines.

© 2024 SchoolMaster ZM. All rights reserved.

This document was last updated on 29/08/2025.