Terms of Service & Platform Agreement
The legally binding terms governing your access to and use of the Sharon Online synchronous tutoring marketplace.
1. Introduction and Acceptance of Terms
Welcome to Sharon Online. These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "Student", or "Teacher") and Sharon Online (Pty) Ltd. ("Sharon Online", "we", "us", or "our"), a company incorporated in accordance with the company laws of the Republic of South Africa.
By registering an account, purchasing lesson credits, booking a session, or using our web application, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the platform.
2. Description of the Marketplace
Sharon Online operates an online marketplace and synchronous education technology infrastructure connecting accredited South African English language educators ("Tutors") with students located globally ("Students") for private, live 25-minute lessons.
Sharon Online provides:
- Live calendar scheduling, slot reservation, and automated timezone synchronization.
- Synchronous high-definition video classrooms with interactive lesson materials and audio tools.
- Post-lesson pedagogic documentation, including grammar feedback, vocabulary flashcards, and homework tracking.
- Multi-currency payment processing, escrow protection, and tutor payout disbursements.
Sharon Online is not an employer of Tutors. Tutors are independent professional contractors who provide educational services directly to Students subject to our vetting and performance standards.
3. Account Registration and Eligibility
To access our educational services:
- You must be at least 18 years of age, or have the express consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian.
- You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete registration information.
- You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.
- You must notify Sharon Online immediately upon discovering any unauthorized use or breach of security.
4. Lesson Credits, Purchases, and Pricing
1. Credit Model: Educational services are acquired through pre-purchased lesson credits or single lesson checkouts. One lesson credit entitles the student to one 25-minute synchronous private lesson with any verified tutor on the platform.
2. Pricing & Currencies: All lesson prices and package rates are displayed transparently in South African Rand (ZAR), United States Dollars (USD), Euros (EUR), and Japanese Yen (JPY). All transactions are processed through authorized payment gateways (PayFast and PayPal).
3. Credit Expiration: Purchased lesson credit packages expire 30 days after the date of grant. Any unused credits at the end of the 30-day period lapse without refund, unless extended due to verified medical emergencies or platform outages.
5. Conduct and Community Standards
Users must uphold the highest standards of integrity, mutual respect, and academic ethics:
- Zero Harassment: Abusive, threatening, discriminatory, sexually explicit, or harassing language or behavior will result in immediate and permanent account termination.
- No Disintermediation: Users agree not to solicit or accept payments outside the Sharon Online platform, nor exchange personal contact information (including personal WhatsApp, Skype, or bank accounts) for off-platform commercial lessons.
- Classroom Punctuality: Students and Tutors are expected to enter the classroom promptly at the scheduled start time. Tutors arriving more than 5 minutes late are subject to platform strikes and penalty reviews.
6. Intellectual Property Rights
1. Curriculum Materials: All curriculum slide decks, reading texts, audio recordings, and lesson exercises provided on Sharon Online are the proprietary property of Sharon Online (Pty) Ltd. or its licensors. You may not distribute, reproduce, or resell these materials.
2. User Notes & Memos: Students retain non-exclusive ownership of their personal notes. Post-lesson memos created by tutors remain accessible to the student for continuous educational review.
7. Limitation of Liability and Governing Law
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Sharon Online shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the use of or inability to use our services.
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.