Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 11 June 2026 | Last Updated: 11 June 2026

Shala ("we", "our", "us") is a school management mobile application operated for schools, teachers, parents, and students. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your choices. By using Shala, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of data:

Data Category	Specific Data	Collected From
Account Information	Full name, email address, phone number, user role	User at sign-up
School Data	School name, school code, admin details	School administrator
Student Data	Student name, class, enrollment details, parent/guardian contact	School administrator / teacher
Attendance Records	Daily attendance status per student	Teacher
Academic Records	Marks, grades, subjects, exam details	Teacher
Fee Records	Payment amounts, due dates, payment status	School administrator
Notices & Announcements	Text content, attachments (images/PDFs)	School administrator / teacher
Uploaded Media	Profile images, documents	User
Device Information	Device model, OS version, unique device identifiers	Automatically
Push Notification Token	Device token for delivering notifications	Automatically

2. How We Use Your Data

We use the collected data to:

Provide and maintain the app's core features (attendance tracking, marks management, fee management, notices).
Authenticate users and enforce role-based access control (admin, teacher, parent, student).
Generate reports, PDFs, and share information via WhatsApp when requested by the user.
Send push notifications related to school updates and notices.
Improve app performance, reliability, and security.
Communicate with you regarding account or support matters.

3. Data Sharing & Third-Party Services

We do not sell your personal data. Data is shared only in the following cases:

Third-Party Service	Purpose	Privacy Policy
Firebase Authentication	User authentication and account management	Google Privacy Policy
Cloud Firestore	Cloud database for storing app data	Google Privacy Policy
Firebase Cloud Storage	Storing uploaded files and images	Google Privacy Policy
Firebase Cloud Messaging	Push notifications	Google Privacy Policy
Cloudinary	Image hosting and optimization	Cloudinary Privacy Policy
WhatsApp (via url_launcher)	User-initiated sharing of PDFs and notices (data sent directly from device)	WhatsApp Privacy Policy

Within your school: Admins, teachers, parents, and students see data relevant to their role within the same school.

Legal requirements: We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or valid legal process.

4. Data Storage & Security

Data is stored on secure cloud servers provided by Firebase (Google Cloud Platform) with data centers located in multiple regions. We implement the following security measures:

Encryption in transit using TLS/SSL.
Encryption at rest for stored data.
Role-based access control restricting users to authorized data only.
Secure authentication via Firebase Authentication.
Regular security monitoring and updates.

5. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your school account is active. When a school or user account is deleted:

Active data is removed from our systems within 30 days.
Backup copies may be retained for up to 90 days for recovery purposes.
Data may be retained longer if required by applicable law or for the resolution of disputes.

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA & FERPA Compliance)

Shala may be used by or on behalf of students who are minors (under 13 years of age in certain jurisdictions). We are committed to protecting children's privacy:

School-as-agent consent: Schools act as agents for parents in providing consent for the collection of student data under COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act).
FERPA compliance: Student education records are managed in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Schools are responsible for ensuring proper authorization.
Minimal data collection: We collect only the minimum data necessary for school administration purposes.
No behavioral advertising: We do not use student data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to school management.
No sale of data: We never sell student data to third parties.

If you believe we have collected data from a child outside the scope of school management, please contact us immediately at hello.projectfuel@gmail.com and we will promptly delete it.

7. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights:

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data. You can update your information through the app or contact your school administrator.
Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
Data Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
Notifications: You can disable push notifications from your device settings.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello.projectfuel@gmail.com.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than your own, as Firebase operates data centers globally. By using Shala, you consent to such transfers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this policy.

9. Third-Party Links & Services

The app may contain links to external services (e.g., WhatsApp). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:

Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
Post a notice in the app or send a notification where feasible.

Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:

Email: hello.projectfuel@gmail.com