Privacy Policy | KNS and SLGS AI Innovation Programme

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how KNS ("KNS," "we," "us," or "our"), facilitating the AI Innovation Bootcamp & Challenge in partnership with Sierra Leone Grammar School ("SLGS"), collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information submitted through this website (the "Site") by Participants, Mentors, and Administrators (collectively, "Users").

By registering on or signing in to the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

2. Who We Collect Data From

This Policy applies to three categories of Users:

Participants: students competing in the Programme through the Participant Portal
Mentors: teachers, professionals, or volunteers guiding assigned teams through the Mentor Portal
Administrators: KNS and partner staff who manage the platform, users, and competition data through the Admin Portal

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Participants

Full name, email address, and profile details provided during registration and onboarding
Team membership, team role (for example Project Lead or Member), and mentor assignments
Workspace content, kanban tasks, chat messages, and notifications generated on the Site
Project submissions and related files or links (repository, demo, pitch deck, documents, prototypes)
Login credentials (email and encrypted password)
Parent/guardian name and contact information when required for participants under 18

3.2 Mentors

Full name, contact details, and professional role or title
Assigned teams and related review activity
Login credentials
Communication records with assigned teams when facilitated through the Site

3.3 Administrators

Full name, staff/role designation, and contact details
Login credentials and access level permissions
Activity necessary to manage users, teams, announcements, and submissions

3.4 Automatically collected information

IP address, browser type, and device information where available
Usage data (pages visited, session activity) via cookies or similar technologies, where applicable
Theme preference stored locally on your device for the portal or public site

4. Why We Collect This Information

We use collected data to:

Register and verify Participants, Mentors, and Administrators
Organise teams, assign mentors, and manage programme logistics
Enable collaboration tools (workspace, kanban, chats) and project submission
Evaluate and score submissions where applicable
Communicate updates, schedules, announcements, and results
Maintain platform security and prevent misuse
Comply with school and partner policies and applicable law

We do not sell personal data to third parties.

5. Children's Privacy & Parental Consent

Many Participants are minors. For any Participant under the age of 18:

Registration and participation require permission from a parent or legal guardian
A parent/guardian should provide consent before the minor's data is collected or their project is published publicly (for example on a leaderboard, results page, or showcase)
Parents/guardians may request access to, correction of, or deletion of their child's data at any time by contacting us using the details in Section 10

We collect no more personal information from minors than is reasonably necessary to administer the Programme.

6. How We Share Information

We may share information only in the following circumstances:

Within the platform: Mentors can view their assigned teams' activity and submissions; Administrators can view user and competition data for management purposes
With SLGS as programme partner, where needed to host, supervise, or recognise participants
Judges/evaluators: project submissions and relevant participant/team names may be shared with competition judges or scoring processes
Public showcase: with appropriate consent, featured projects, participant or team names, and related materials may be published on the Site or promotional materials
Legal requirements: if required by law, regulation, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of KNS, SLGS, or others
Service providers: third party tools (for example hosting and email delivery) that support Site operation, under confidentiality obligations

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the Programme and any follow up reporting, recognition, or archival purposes, typically not exceeding 2 years after the Programme concludes, unless a longer period is required by law or requested by the user for legitimate purposes (for example an alumni showcase).

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including:

Encrypted password storage
Role based access controls (Participant / Mentor / Administrator permissions)
Secure hosting infrastructure

No system is completely secure; while we work to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, Users (or a parent/guardian on behalf of a minor) may:

Request access to the personal data we hold about them
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request deletion of their data, subject to competition or record keeping requirements
Withdraw consent for public display of their name, photo, or project

Requests can be submitted using the contact details in Section 10.

10. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data:

AI Innovation Bootcamp & Challenge (facilitated by KNS in partnership with SLGS)

Email: salim@kns.sl

WhatsApp: +232 79 594 218

Address: 18 Dundas Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.