Terms & Conditions

1. Agreement to These Terms

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") are a legally binding agreement between you and Tutorlearna (Private) Limited("Tutorlearna", "we", "our", or "us"), governing your access to and use of the Tutorlearna platform, website, and all associated services (collectively, "the Platform").

By creating an account, accessing the Platform, or using any of our services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

2. Eligibility

To use the Platform, you must:

• Be at least 13 years of age. Users under 18 must have parental or guardian consent and must be linked to a parent/guardian account.
• Provide accurate, truthful, and complete registration information.
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement, or if under 18, have parental/guardian consent.
• Not have been previously banned or suspended from the Platform.
• Comply with all applicable laws in Zimbabwe and your country of residence.

3. Account Responsibilities

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
• You are solely responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
• You must notify us immediately at legal@tutorlearna.com if you suspect unauthorised access.
• You must not share your account or allow others to use your credentials.
• You must keep your profile information accurate and up-to-date.
• You must not create multiple accounts for the same individual.

4. Description of the Platform

Tutorlearna is an e-learning and tutor marketplace platform providing:

• A marketplace connecting students with professional tutors for online and in-person lessons
• Curriculum-aligned interactive learning content (GCSE and A-Level)
• Interactive quizzes, flashcards, and past papers
• Real-time online lessons via Google Meet
• In-person lessons at verified meeting hubs
• Progress tracking and analytics for students, parents, and teachers
• Secure payment processing via Paynow
• Parental monitoring and guardian linking features

Tutorlearna acts as an intermediary marketplace. We do not directly employ tutors and are not responsible for the content, quality, or outcome of individual tutoring sessions, except as expressly stated in these Terms.

5. User Roles and Specific Obligations

5.1 Students

• Use the Platform for genuine educational purposes only
• Attend booked lessons punctually and notify tutors of cancellations in advance
• Treat tutors and other users respectfully at all times
• Submit honest and fair ratings and reviews

5.2 Tutors and Teachers

• Provide accurate information about qualifications, experience, and subjects taught
• Submit to and cooperate with our identity verification and background check process
• Deliver lessons professionally, punctually, and in accordance with the booked session details
• Maintain appropriate professional standards and conduct at all times
• Not solicit students to conduct lessons or payments outside the Platform
• Keep availability and profile information current and accurate
• Comply with all relevant Zimbabwean laws regarding private tutoring services

5.3 Parents and Guardians

• Provide accurate consent for your child's use of the Platform
• Monitor your linked child's activity and bookings
• Ensure your child complies with these Terms
• You are responsible for all bookings and payments made on behalf of your child

5.4 School Administrators

• You must be authorised by your institution to use the Platform on its behalf
• You are responsible for the accuracy of bulk-imported student data
• You must ensure your institution's use complies with all applicable laws

6. Tutor Marketplace and Safety

Tutorlearna provides tutor verification and background checks as a safety measure, but we cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information provided by tutors. We encourage users to:

• Read tutor profiles, qualifications, and reviews carefully before booking
• For in-person lessons, use our verified meeting hubs where possible
• Report any concerns about tutor conduct through the Platform's reporting system
• Never share personal financial information, passwords, or unnecessary personal details with tutors

We reserve the right to remove, suspend, or ban any tutor profile that violates these Terms or poses a safety risk, at our sole discretion.

7. Payments and Subscriptions

7.1 Payment Processing

Payments on the Platform are processed securely via Paynow(Econet Zimbabwe). Accepted payment methods include Visa/Mastercard, EcoCash, and OneMoney. By making a payment, you agree to Paynow's terms and conditions.

7.2 Pricing

Lesson prices are set by individual tutors in USD. Tutorlearna may charge a platform fee on each transaction, which will be clearly displayed before you confirm a booking. Prices are subject to change; any price change will not affect confirmed bookings.

7.3 Tutor Earnings

Tutors receive a percentage of each booking fee (the "tutor share") into their Tutorlearna wallet. The remaining amount constitutes the platform's service fee. Tutor payouts are subject to our payout schedule and minimum thresholds, which may be updated from time to time.

7.4 Failed Payments

If a payment fails, the lesson booking will not be confirmed. You will be notified of the failure and may retry the payment. Tutorlearna is not liable for any losses resulting from a payment failure.

7.5 Disputes

Payment disputes must be reported to us within 14 days of the transaction at legal@tutorlearna.com. We will investigate and liaise with Paynow as necessary. Our decision on disputes is final, subject to applicable Zimbabwean law.

8. Cancellation and Refunds

8.1 Student Cancellations

• More than 24 hours before the lesson: Full refund to your original payment method.
• Between 12–24 hours before the lesson: 50% refund; 50% is paid to the tutor as a cancellation fee.
• Less than 12 hours before the lesson (or no-show): No refund. The full lesson fee is paid to the tutor.

8.2 Tutor Cancellations

If a tutor cancels a confirmed lesson, the student will receive a full refund. Repeated unexplained tutor cancellations may result in suspension or removal from the Platform.

8.3 Exceptional Circumstances

In exceptional circumstances (e.g., illness, bereavement, severe weather, or internet outages), we may consider waiving cancellation fees on a case-by-case basis. Please contact legal@tutorlearna.com with supporting evidence within 48 hours.

8.4 Refund Processing

Approved refunds will be processed within 7–14 business days to the original payment method. Tutorlearna is not responsible for delays caused by Paynow or banking institutions.

9. Acceptable Use Policy

You must not use the Platform to:

• Engage in any illegal activity under Zimbabwean or applicable international law
• Harass, bully, defame, threaten, or intimidate any other user
• Post or transmit obscene, abusive, or harmful content of any kind
• Impersonate any person, organisation, or entity
• Share false, misleading, or fraudulent information, including fake qualifications
• Conduct or facilitate any financial transaction outside the Platform (cash-in-hand arrangements)
• Attempt to circumvent the Platform to contact students or parents directly for payment
• Scrape, copy, or reverse-engineer any part of the Platform
• Introduce malware, viruses, or any harmful code
• Violate the intellectual property rights of Tutorlearna or any third party
• Use the Platform for any commercial purpose not authorised by Tutorlearna
• Create accounts for automated bots, scraping, or spam

Violation of this Acceptable Use Policy may result in immediate account suspension or permanent ban, at our sole discretion, without refund.

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Our Content

All content on the Platform — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, learning materials, quizzes, past papers, software, and design — is the intellectual property of Tutorlearna (Private) Limited or its content partners and is protected by Zimbabwean copyright law. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our express written permission.

10.2 User Content

By submitting content to the Platform (including tutor profiles, ratings, reviews, lesson summaries, or study materials), you grant Tutorlearna a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, display, and distribute that content for the purpose of operating and improving the Platform. You retain ownership of your content.

You represent that any content you submit does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.

10.3 Third-Party Content

The Platform may include links to or content from third parties (e.g., exam board materials). We do not endorse and are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or quality of third-party content.

11. Reporting and Misconduct

If you encounter inappropriate behaviour, fake profiles, payment disputes, or safety concerns, you must report them through the Platform's built-in reporting system or by emailing legal@tutorlearna.com.

We investigate all reports and reserve the right to take action including issuing warnings, temporary bans, or permanent bans. Our decisions regarding misconduct reports are final, subject to applicable law.

Making false or malicious reports is a violation of these Terms and may result in your own account being suspended.

12. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

12.1 Platform "As Is"

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or completely secure.

12.2 Tutor Services

Tutorlearna is a marketplace and intermediary. We do not guarantee the quality, accuracy, or outcomes of any tutoring service. Any reliance you place on a tutor's profile, qualifications, or recommendations is at your own risk.

12.3 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Zimbabwean law, Tutorlearna (Private) Limited shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages
• Loss of profits, data, goodwill, or business opportunities
• The conduct, content, or actions of any tutor, student, or other user
• Any unauthorised access to or alteration of your data
• Any interruption, suspension, or termination of the Platform

Our total liability to you in connection with any claim arising from use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount you paid to us in the 30 days preceding the claim.

12.4 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Tutorlearna, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from your use of the Platform, your violation of these Terms, or your infringement of any third-party rights.

13. Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your account, with or without notice, if:

• You violate any provision of these Terms
• You engage in fraudulent, illegal, or harmful conduct
• We determine your account poses a safety risk to other users
• We receive a valid court order or regulatory direction

You may close your account at any time by contacting us. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination will do so.

14. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to our collection and use of your data as described therein.

15. Third-Party Services

The Platform integrates with third-party services including Google (SSO, Google Meet), Paynow (payments), and Vercel (hosting). Your use of these services is subject to their own terms and conditions. We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of third-party services.

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Zimbabwe. Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Zimbabwe.

Before initiating formal legal proceedings, we encourage users to contact us directly to attempt to resolve any dispute amicably. Please email legal@tutorlearna.com with a description of your concern and we will endeavour to respond within 10 business days.

17. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Tutorlearna regarding your use of the Platform.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.
• Force Majeure: We will not be liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including internet outages, natural disasters, civil unrest, or government actions.

18. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or legal matters relating to these Terms, please contact us: