Terms Of Service

Terms of Service – MoPSE Learner’s Hub (WhatsApp Chatbot)
Last updated: [26 September 2025] Effective from: [20 October 2025]
Quick summary (not a substitute for the full terms):
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The MoPSE Learner’s Hub is a free education and support service on WhatsApp for children and young people aged 6–18 and their parents/guardians and teachers in Zimbabwe. It provides academic content, psychosocial support (PSS), and health, reproductive and sexual rights (HRSR) information, plus AI-powered study and wellbeing tools.
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Using the service means you accept these Terms of Service and our Privacy & Data Protection Notice. If you do not agree, do not use the service.
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Children must use the service with a parent/guardian’s permission and guidance. We design content to be age-appropriate and keep children safe. We do not allow harmful, illegal, exploitative, or sexual content.
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We are not an emergency, clinical, or legal service. If you or someone else is in danger, contact local emergency services and trusted adults. You can also reach Childline Zimbabwe on 116 or Youth Advocates Toll Free Helpline on 313 (availability may vary by network).
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We comply with Zimbabwean law, including the Cyber and Data Protection Act (administered by POTRAZ as Data Protection Authority), the Children’s Act, and the Education Act. We minimise data, protect your privacy, and will never sell your personal data or use it for advertising.
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To stop messages at any time, send EXIT or STOP. To request your data or deletion, send DATA or DELETE. To report a concern, send REPORT.

Full Terms
1.Who we are
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Controller: The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of Zimbabwe (MoPSE) provides and operates the MoPSE Learner’s Hub (the “Service”).
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Sponsors: UNFPA and UNESCO sponsor the Service. They are not the owner or operator and are not responsible for day-to-day operations. They may receive aggregated, anonymised insights for monitoring and evaluation.
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Contact: For support, safeguarding, or data requests, use the in-chat commands or the contact details provided in the chatbot menu and on MoPSE’s official channels. A dedicated Data Protection contact will be provided there.
2. Acceptance of the Terms
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By starting or continuing a conversation with the Service on WhatsApp, you confirm that you understand and accept these Terms and our Privacy & Data Protection Notice.
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If you use the Service on behalf of a child, you accept these Terms for yourself and on the child’s behalf.
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If you do not agree, do not use the Service and send STOP to unsubscribe.
3. Who may use the Service (eligibility and consent)
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Intended users: Learners aged 6–18 and their parents/guardians in Zimbabwe, and educators as applicable.
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Parental/guardian involvement:
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Ages 6–12: Use only with a parent/guardian actively involved.
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Ages 13–15: Use with a parent/guardian’s permission and guidance.
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Ages 16–18: May use independently where appropriate, but parental/guardian support is encouraged.
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Sensitive topics: HRSR and PSS content is provided in age-appropriate ways. We avoid explicit content and encourage discussion with trusted adults. We may require additional confirmations for sensitive topics.
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If we reasonably believe a child is using the Service without required permission or in an unsafe manner, we may limit access or request proof of parental/guardian involvement.
4. What the Service provides
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Educational content: syllabus-aligned learning materials, revision support, tips and resources for learners and parents/guardians.
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PSS: general wellbeing resources, coping skills, signposting to helplines and professional services.
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HRSR information: age-appropriate, factual health and reproductive/sexual rights information and signposting.
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AI tools: study help, practice questions, explanations, summarisation, and wellbeing guidance. AI responses may not always be correct; verify critical information.
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A.I counsellor: guidance & counselling support through a trained A.I agent
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Availability: We strive for high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted access.
5. Not an emergency, medical, therapeutic, or legal service
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The Service provides general information only and does not replace teachers, counsellors, health professionals, or legal counsel.
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If you face immediate risk or an emergency: contact local emergency services, trusted adults, or Childline Zimbabwe at 116 or Youth Advocates Toll Free Helpline on 393 (availability may vary by network). Where appropriate, we may share local helplines and support services.
6. WhatsApp and third-party platforms
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The Service operates via WhatsApp’s Business Platform. Messages are transmitted to us through WhatsApp/Meta infrastructure and delivered to our systems so that our team and/or our approved processors can read and respond to your messages.
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Your use of WhatsApp is also governed by WhatsApp’s terms and privacy policy. We do not control WhatsApp or your mobile network and cannot guarantee their security, availability, or data practices.
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Data charges may apply from your network provider.
7. Account and security
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Identity: You interact with the Service using your WhatsApp phone number. We will never ask you for passwords, one-time passcodes (OTPs), or mobile money transfers.
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Keep safe: Do not share your home address, school, ID numbers, bank details, passwords, or other sensitive personal information in chat. If asked for money or personal details by anyone claiming to be from the Service, do not comply and report immediately using REPORT.
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Commands:
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STOP: Unsubscribe from further messages (you may still receive essential service or safety messages).
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HELP: Get help using the Service.
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REPORT: Report a safety or misuse concern.
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DELETE: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal and safeguarding exceptions).
8. Acceptable use and safety rules You must not:
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Harm or exploit children or others, including grooming, sexual exploitation, harassment, bullying, or threats.
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Share or request explicit sexual content, pornography, nudity, self-harm instructions, or violent/extremist content.
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Request, share, or use exam leaks, impersonate officials, or engage in cheating or academic dishonesty.
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Distribute illegal content, incite violence or hatred, or violate any Zimbabwean law.
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Share another person’s personal information without lawful authority and their consent.
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Attempt to bypass safety filters, attack or probe our systems, or interfere with the Service.
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Use the Service for advertising, scams, spam, or commercial solicitation. Enforcement:
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We may warn, restrict, suspend, or permanently block access for any breach, and we may report suspected criminal activity or child protection concerns to appropriate authorities (for example, law enforcement, social services, school safeguarding leads) where required or permitted by law.
9. Safeguarding and mandatory reporting
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We prioritise the safety and best interests of children. If you share information that suggests a risk of significant harm to a child or others, we may take proportionate action, including contacting child protection and/or law enforcement authorities, consistent with Zimbabwean law (including the Children’s Act) and our safeguarding policy.
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We will handle such information sensitively and only share what is necessary to protect someone from harm or to comply with legal obligations.
10. Academic integrity
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AI tools and content are for learning support. You remain responsible for your work and compliance with your school’s academic integrity policy.
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Do not submit AI-generated responses as your own original work without proper acknowledgement where your school’s policy requires it.
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We may implement measures to discourage or detect misuse for academic dishonesty.
11. Intellectual property
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Ownership: All Service content (including text, audio, graphics, logos, curricula, and AI prompts) is owned or licensed by MoPSE and/or its partners and is protected by law.
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Your licence: We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Service for personal, non-commercial educational purposes.
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Restrictions: You may not copy, distribute, modify, resell, or create derivative works from our content without prior written permission, except for limited non-commercial educational use within your household or classroom.
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Your submissions: If you submit feedback or ideas, you grant MoPSE a worldwide, royalty-free licence to use them to improve the Service without compensation.
12. AI-specific terms
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AI responses may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always use your judgment, cross-check important facts, and consult trusted adults or professionals for sensitive matters.
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We apply filters to block harmful requests, and we may limit AI features for safety or exam integrity.
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Do not attempt to generate disallowed content or bypass safety measures.
13. Privacy and data protection (summary) We follow the laws of Zimbabwe, including the Cyber and Data Protection Act (administered by POTRAZ as the Data Protection Authority), and other applicable regulations and directives. Highlights:
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Data controller: MoPSE is the data controller.
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What we collect: Your WhatsApp phone number, WhatsApp profile name (if available), message content, timestamps, interaction logs, usage analytics, and limited device/network metadata. If you choose to share sensitive information (for example, health, wellbeing, or safeguarding details), we will treat it as sensitive personal data.
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Why we process data:
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To provide the Service and respond to your messages.
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To support education, safeguarding, and public interest objectives.
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To improve quality, safety, and performance of the Service.
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To comply with law and protect users from harm.
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Lawful bases: Consent (including consent from a parent/guardian for children where required), performance of a service you request, legal obligation, public interest (education, health, child protection), and/or our legitimate interests balanced with your rights.
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Sensitive data: We only process sensitive data you choose to share or that arises in the course of providing PSS/HRSR support, and only for the purposes described. We minimise collection and access on a need-to-know basis.
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Sharing: We do not sell your personal data or use it for advertising. We may share data with:
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MoPSE-authorised staff and service providers (including AI technology providers and WhatsApp/Meta as the messaging platform) under strict data protection agreements.
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Sponsors (UNFPA/UNESCO) only in aggregated and anonymised form for monitoring/evaluation.
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Safeguarding or law enforcement authorities where required or permitted by law to protect a child or comply with legal duties.
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Cross-border transfers: Some processing and storage may occur outside Zimbabwe (for example, within WhatsApp/Meta or cloud service providers). We will use appropriate
safeguards required by Zimbabwean law, and we will use reputable providers with robust security. By using the Service, you acknowledge these transfers.
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Security: We implement technical and organisational measures to protect your data (access controls, encryption in transit, staff training, auditing). No system is 100% secure.
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Retention: We keep chat records only as long as necessary:
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Routine learning interactions: up to 12 months.
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Account, consent, and audit logs: up to 24 months.
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Safeguarding or legal matters: for as long as needed to resolve the issue and comply with legal obligations (for example, up to 5 years or as prescribed by law or MoPSE record-keeping policies).
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Aggregated, anonymised analytics may be kept longer.
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Your rights: Subject to legal limits, you may have the right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability, and to object to processing. You can withdraw consent at any time (this will not affect past lawful processing).
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How to exercise rights: Use the in-chat commands DATA or DELETE, or contact us via the details in the chatbot menu. We will verify your identity (and, for minors, we may involve a parent/guardian unless doing so would create risk).
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Complaints: You may lodge a complaint with MoPSE’s Data Protection contact. You also have the right to complain to the Data Protection Authority (POTRAZ).
For full details, please read our Privacy & Data Protection Notice linked in the chatbot menu.
14. Children’s privacy and protections
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We design for the best interests of the child, minimising data and restricting sensitive features for younger users.
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We do not profile children for marketing or sell their data.
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We avoid collecting precise location, financial details, or other high-risk identifiers. Never share such details in chat.
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For safeguarding, we may act without prior parental notice if necessary to protect a child from immediate harm or as required by law.
15. Content moderation and programme integrity
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We may review conversations using trained human moderators and/or automated systems to keep users safe, improve quality, and comply with law.
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We may remove or block messages that violate these Terms and limit features to prevent misuse.
16. Fees and charges
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The Service is currently free to use. Your mobile operator may charge data or message fees when using WhatsApp. We are not responsible for these charges.
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We will notify users if any Service fees are introduced in the future.
17. Third-party links and resources
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The Service may link to third-party content or services (for example, helplines, clinics, educational websites). We do not control and are not responsible for those sites or services. Follow their terms and policies.
18. Suspension and termination
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We may suspend or terminate access with or without notice if:
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You breach these Terms or applicable law.
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We are required to do so by law or for safety reasons.
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We discontinue or materially change the Service.
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You may unsubscribe at any time by sending STOP.
19. Disclaimers
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The Service and content are provided “as is” and “as available.” We make reasonable efforts to provide accurate, age-appropriate information but do not guarantee completeness, accuracy, or uninterrupted availability.
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We do not provide medical, legal, or therapeutic advice. Always seek professional help when needed.
20. Limitation of liability
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To the fullest extent permitted by Zimbabwean law, MoPSE, its officers, staff, sponsors (UNFPA, UNESCO), and service providers will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of data, goodwill, or profits, arising from your use of or inability to use the Service.
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Nothing in these Terms limits liability where such limitation is not permitted by law, including for gross negligence or wilful misconduct.
21. Indemnity
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You agree to indemnify and hold harmless MoPSE, its sponsors, and service providers from any claims, losses, liabilities, and expenses arising from your breach of these Terms or misuse of the Service.
22. Changes to the Service and Terms
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We may update these Terms and the Service from time to time (for example, to reflect changes in law or improvements). We will post the updated Terms with a new “Last updated” date and may notify users via WhatsApp. Continued use after updates means you accept the changes.
23. Governing law and dispute resolution
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These Terms are governed by the laws of Zimbabwe.
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If you have a concern, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it informally.
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If we cannot resolve it, disputes may be submitted to the competent courts of Zimbabwe, without prejudice to any mandatory alternative dispute resolution mechanisms provided by law.
24. Notices and contact details
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In-chat support: send HELP or REPORT.
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Data requests: send DATA or DELETE.
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Official contact details: See the “Contact us” section in the chatbot menu or on MoPSE’s official website/channels for the most current email, telephone, and postal address for the Learner’s Hub and for the Data Protection contact.
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Complaints to POTRAZ (Data Protection Authority): Contact details are available on the POTRAZ website.
25. Definitions
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“Service” means the MoPSE Learner’s Hub WhatsApp chatbot and all associated content, tools, and features.
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“User,” “you,” or “your” means a learner, parent/guardian, or educator who uses the Service.
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“MoPSE,” “we,” or “us” means the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of Zimbabwe.
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“PSS” means psychosocial support content and tools.
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“HRSR” means health, reproductive and sexual rights information and guidance suitable for minors.
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“AI tools” means automated features that generate or analyse text or content to assist users.
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“Sponsors” means UNFPA and UNESCO.
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“WhatsApp” means the messaging platform owned by Meta Platforms.
Important safety and integrity reminders
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We will never ask you for money, passwords, one-time passcodes, mobile money PINs, or bank details. If you receive such requests, do not comply and send REPORT.
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Do not share personal contact details with strangers or meet anyone you met through the Service.
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If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact emergency services and a trusted adult. Consider Childline Zimbabwe at 116 (network availability may vary).
Acknowledgement By using the MoPSE Learner’s Hub WhatsApp chatbot, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service and our Privacy & Data Protection Notice, and that you will use the Service lawfully, safely, and respectfully.
Note on compliance with Zimbabwean law and POTRAZ This Service is designed to align with:
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The Cyber and Data Protection Act of Zimbabwe and directives issued by POTRAZ as the Data Protection Authority.
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The Children’s Act, Education Act, and other relevant laws and policies of Zimbabwe. Where any provision of these Terms conflicts with Zimbabwean law, that law prevails to the extent of the conflict.
Optional integration text for the chatbot onboarding flow
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Welcome to the MoPSE Learner’s Hub. By continuing, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy & Data Protection Notice. For help, type HELP. To stop at any time, type STOP. To report a safety concern, type REPORT.
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If you are under 16, please confirm you have your parent/guardian’s permission to use this service. For sensitive topics, we will provide age-appropriate information and may encourage you to involve a trusted adult.