StudentMateIn short
1. Who we are
StudentMate (including vHelper, Smate, the learner, family, educator, health-professional and back-office portals, and StudentMate on WhatsApp, SMS and other channels) is run by WaaS AI (“we”). We are the responsible party under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). Our Information Officer can be reached at support@waasai.onmicrosoft.com.
2. What we collect
| What | Examples | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Name, e-mail, phone, role, country, school or institution, grade or level | To create your account and show you the right portal |
| Learning | Marks, tests and exams you write, practicals, progress, streaks, what you ask vHelper | To teach you, track progress and share it with the teachers and parents linked to you |
| Documents and photos | Reports, ID or certificates you upload for applications; photos of homework you send vHelper | To check documents, apply on your behalf when you ask, and explain your work |
| Voice | What you say in talk mode | Turned into text to answer you. Recordings are not kept after they are transcribed. |
| Messages | Chats with tutors, teachers, parents, support; WhatsApp/SMS messages with StudentMate | To deliver them and keep everyone safe (safeguarding) |
| Wellbeing and health | Care check-ins, sessions with a health professional and their notes | To provide support. Clinical notes are seen only by your practitioner. |
| Payments | Plan, tokens, payment status (card details stay with the payment provider) | To provide paid features and keep records |
| Device | App install, notification address, language, rough location (country/province), errors | To make the app work, send notifications you switched on and keep it secure |
3. Our lawful reasons (POPIA section 11)
- Consent — yours, or a parent's/guardian's (or your school's) for learners under 18; you can withdraw it at any time.
- To provide the service you signed up for (a contract with you or your school).
- Legal obligations — for example tax records and safeguarding duties.
- Legitimate interests — keeping StudentMate secure and improving it, never overriding your rights.
4. Children
Many StudentMate users are learners under 18. We process children's information only with the consent of a competent person (a parent or guardian) or as allowed by POPIA section 35, for example through their school. Parents linked to a learner can see their progress. Safeguarding features may alert trained staff when a learner may be at risk.
5. Who we share with
- People linked to you: your teachers, lecturers, tutors, school or institution, and parents/guardians — only what they need.
- Universities and colleges you ask us to apply to.
- Service providers (operators) that process information for us under contract: cloud hosting, AI models that generate answers (we send only what is needed for the answer), messaging (Meta/WhatsApp, SMS gateways, e-mail), payment providers, and video/telehealth services.
- Authorities when the law requires it, or to protect someone from serious harm.
Some providers store data outside South Africa. We only use providers bound to protect it to a standard comparable to POPIA (section 72).
6. WhatsApp and phone notifications
If you link WhatsApp or SMS, we use your number to send the messages you chose (reminders, marks, alerts) and to answer messages you send StudentMate. Meta processes WhatsApp messages under its own terms. Reply STOP to stop alerts there, or unlink the channel in StudentMate to stop all messages. Phone notifications are only sent if you switch them on, and you can switch them off in the app.
7. How long we keep it
While your account is active, and afterwards only as long as needed for the purpose or the law (for example, financial records for 5 years). When you delete your account, we delete or anonymise your information within 30 days, except what we must keep by law.
8. Security
Encrypted connections (HTTPS), role-based access (people only see what their role allows), signed sessions, audit logs and regular backups. If a breach affects you, we will tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.
9. Your rights
- See the information we hold about you, and correct it.
- Object to processing or withdraw consent.
- Ask us to delete your information — delete my data.
- Complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) — inforegulator.org.za.
10. Cookies and storage on your device
We use your browser's storage to keep you signed in, remember settings (like hands-free or language) and let the app work offline. We do not use advertising cookies.
11. Changes
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we will tell you in the app before it takes effect.