Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Famnet School Management System ("the Service"), including visiting famnet.co.tz or schools.famnet.co.tz, or by registering a school account, you ("User", "School", "Parent", or "Administrator") agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy.

If you are registering on behalf of a school or organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that institution to these Terms.

2. Description of Services

Famnet Services Limited provides a web-based School Information Management System (SIMS) designed for African educational institutions. Our services include:

• Student admission and records management
• Staff and teacher management
• Academic results and report card generation
• Timetable and attendance tracking
• Financial management and fee collection tracking
• Parent portal for real-time student progress monitoring
• SMS notification system for parents, teachers, and administrators
• Analytics and performance dashboards

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service with reasonable notice to registered users.

3. Eligibility

The Famnet platform is intended for use by:

• Registered educational institutions in Tanzania (government and private schools)
• Licensed school administrators and teachers
• Parents and guardians of enrolled students who have been granted access by their child's school

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account. Users under 18 may access the platform only through accounts created and managed by their school or parent/guardian.

4. User Accounts & Registration

4.1 Account Responsibility

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account at support@famnet.co.tz.

4.2 Accurate Information

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update it as necessary. Providing false information may result in immediate account termination.

4.3 Role-Based Access

Access to data within the system is controlled by user roles (Administrator, Teacher, Parent). You agree to use only the access privileges assigned to your role and not to attempt to access data beyond your authorization.

5. Subscriptions & Payment

5.1 School Subscription

Schools may subscribe to the Famnet platform for TZS 600,000 per year (VAT exclusive), which provides unlimited student registrations and full access to all features.

5.2 Parent Portal Subscription

Alternatively, schools may enable a parent-funded model where individual parents pay an annual subscription of TZS 2,000 per student (government schools) or TZS 3,500 per student (private schools) for access to the parent portal.

5.3 Payment Terms

• All fees are in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS)
• Subscriptions are billed annually and are non-refundable after 14 days of activation
• Failure to renew will result in read-only access, then suspension after a 30-day grace period
• Prices are subject to change with 60 days' notice to registered users

5.4 Free School Registration

In the parent-subscription model, the school itself does not pay a platform fee. However, schools agree to actively encourage parents to subscribe to the portal and to use the system responsibly.

6. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree NOT to use the Famnet platform to:

• Upload false, misleading, or fraudulent student or staff records
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other schools' data
• Use the SMS system for unsolicited commercial messages (spam)
• Reverse-engineer, copy, or resell any part of the Famnet system
• Transmit malware, viruses, or malicious code
• Harass, defame, or harm any student, parent, or staff member
• Violate any applicable Tanzanian laws or regulations
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity of the platform

Violation of this policy may result in immediate account suspension and potential legal action.

7. Data Ownership

You retain ownership of all data you input into Famnet, including student records, financial data, and academic results. By using our platform, you grant Famnet a limited license to process, store, and display your data solely for the purpose of providing the Service.

We do not claim ownership of your school's data. Upon termination of your account, you may request an export of your data in a standard format before final deletion.

8. Intellectual Property

All software, designs, code, logos, trademarks, and content on the Famnet platform (excluding user-submitted data) are the exclusive intellectual property of Famnet Services Limited and are protected under Tanzanian and international copyright laws.

You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Famnet content without prior written permission.

9. SMS Communications

By registering phone numbers on the Famnet platform, you consent to receive SMS notifications including exam results, attendance alerts, fee reminders, and school announcements. Schools are responsible for obtaining appropriate consent from parents and staff before adding their phone numbers to the system.

To opt out of SMS notifications, users should contact their school administrator or reach us at support@famnet.co.tz.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Tanzanian law, Famnet Services Limited shall not be liable for:

• Loss of data due to circumstances beyond our control (force majeure, internet outages)
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the platform
• Actions taken by schools, administrators, or third parties using the platform
• Temporary service interruptions (we target 99.9% uptime but cannot guarantee it)

Our total liability to any school or user in connection with the Service shall not exceed the subscription fees paid in the 12 months preceding the claim.

11. Termination

Either party may terminate the service agreement:

• By you: By notifying us in writing at info@famnet.co.tz. No refund is provided for unused subscription periods after 14 days of activation.
• By Famnet: We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or fail to make required payments, with or without prior notice depending on severity.

Upon termination, you have 30 days to export your data before it is scheduled for deletion.

12. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania. Any disputes arising from the use of Famnet services shall be resolved through:

1. Good-faith negotiation between the parties
2. Mediation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, if negotiation fails
3. Litigation before competent courts of Tanzania as a last resort

13. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms of Service. Material changes will be communicated via email and/or in-app notification at least 30 days before taking effect. Your continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact: