Privacy policy
Last updated 22 October 2026
Who we are
Business by Design provides WSE Manager, an online tool that helps South African schools complete the Whole-School Evaluation self-evaluation and School Improvement Plan. Each school is the responsible party for the information it enters. Business by Design acts as the operator that processes that information on the school's behalf, under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).
What information we hold
- School details: name, EMIS number, address, contact details, principal and SGB chairperson names, staffing and enrolment figures.
- User accounts: name, email address, role, designation and a securely hashed password. We never store passwords in readable form.
- Evaluation records: ratings, comments, strengths, areas for development and School Improvement Plan items.
- Evidence files that users choose to upload.
- Security records: sign-in and activity logs, including the IP address and browser type, kept to protect accounts and investigate misuse.
The system records only the number of learners per grade. It is not designed to hold learners' names or other personal details, and users must not upload evidence that contains them.
Why we use it
We use this information only to run the service for your school: to let your team complete and share its evaluation, to produce reports, and to keep the system secure. We do not sell your information and we do not use it for advertising.
Who can see it
- Members of your own school, according to the role the principal gives them.
- District or provincial officials, only if the platform administrator has been asked to give them access to your school. They see submitted evaluations and the improvement plan summary, not drafts or individual ratings.
- The platform administrator, for support and security purposes.
We do not share school information with anyone else unless the law requires it.
Where it is stored and how it is protected
Information is stored in a database and file storage on servers run by our hosting provider. Connections use HTTPS. Evidence files are kept outside the public web folder and are only served to signed-in users of the same school. Accounts lock temporarily after repeated failed sign-ins, and every change to evaluation data is recorded in an activity log.
How long we keep it
We keep a school's information while it has an account. When a school asks us to close its account, we delete its information, apart from security logs we are required or entitled to keep for a limited period.
Your rights
You may ask us to confirm what personal information we hold about you, to correct it, or to delete it. Because the school is the responsible party, we may refer your request to the school's principal. To make a request or raise a complaint, write to sharonschoeman@businessbydesign.co.za. You may also complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Changes
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we will tell users in the system. The date at the top shows when it was last updated.