Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Arbeit Language Training Institute ("ALT", "we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our students, staff, visitors, and all individuals who interact with our institution and online platforms.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we share it, and the rights you have regarding your personal data. It applies to our website, student management system, and all digital services operated by ALT.
By accessing our website or using our services, you acknowledge and agree to the terms set out in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our services.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information you provide directly to us when you create an account, complete an application, enrol in a programme, or contact us. This includes:
- Full name, national identification number, date of birth, and gender
- Contact details — email address, phone number, and postal address
- Academic records, qualifications, and test scores
- Payment and financial information (processed securely through authorised payment processors)
- Emergency contact details and medical information where relevant to your enrolment
- Profile photographs uploaded for identification purposes
We also automatically collect certain information when you visit our website and management platform, including IP address, browser type, device identifiers, pages visited, and session duration. This data is collected via cookies and similar tracking technologies.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to operate and improve our educational services. Specifically, we use your personal data to:
- Process enrolment applications and manage student registration
- Administer academic records, attendance, grades, and transcripts
- Process fee payments and issue receipts or invoices
- Communicate important notices, timetable updates, and institutional announcements
- Provide access to your role-specific portal and protect account security
- Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements applicable to educational institutions in Kenya
- Improve our website, systems, and service delivery
- Send promotional and informational communications (you may opt out at any time)
4. Disclosure of Your Information
ALT does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- With authorised service providers (e.g., cloud hosting, payment processors) who process data on our behalf under strict confidentiality agreements
- With examination bodies (such as Goethe-Institut or telc) for certification registration purposes, with your consent
- With government authorities or regulatory agencies when required by law or court order
- With emergency services or next of kin in situations involving risk to health or safety
- With successor institutions in the event of a merger, acquisition, or institutional restructuring
All third-party partners are required to handle your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws and our data processing agreements.
5. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal obligations, and to resolve disputes.
Academic transcripts, certificates, and enrolment records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years following a student's departure from the institution, in line with regulatory requirements for educational institutions.
You may request deletion of your personal data at any time subject to our legal retention obligations. Requests will be assessed and actioned within 30 days.
6. Data Security
We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:
- Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS) across all web services
- Role-based access controls limiting data access to authorised personnel only
- Secure, regularly backed-up cloud infrastructure
- Password hashing and secure authentication mechanisms
- Regular security assessments and staff data protection training
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and to contact us immediately if you suspect any unauthorised use of your account.
8. Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access — to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Right to rectification — to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
- Right to erasure — to request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention obligations)
- Right to restriction — to request that we limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances
- Right to data portability — to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Right to object — to object to processing of your data for direct marketing or other legitimate interests
- Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, to withdraw it at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@arbeitlanguage.ac.ke. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.
9. Minors and Children's Privacy
ALT's services are designed for individuals aged 16 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16 without verifiable parental or guardian consent.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor without appropriate consent, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete that information.
10. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (such as examination bodies, partner institutions, or social media platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit through links on our platform.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The date of the most recent revision will always be indicated at the top of this page.
We will notify registered users of material changes by email or through a prominent notice on our management portal. Continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner of Kenya at www.odpc.go.ke if you believe your data rights have been violated.
For questions about this policy, email privacy@arbeitlanguage.ac.ke