Terms of Use

1. About SMI

The School Management Institute ("SMI", "we", "us", "our") is an education training organisation operated by EduMESS, headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria. We train and certify school owners across Africa as Chartered School Managers through a structured, cohort-based programme.

Our website is schoolmanagementinstitute.com. These Terms govern your use of our website, application portal, student dashboard, mentor platform, and all associated services (collectively, the "Platform").

2. Eligibility

By using the Platform, you confirm that:

• You are at least 18 years of age.
• You are a school owner, education professional, prospective investor, mentor, or partner with a legitimate interest in SMI's programme.
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
• All information you provide is accurate, current, and complete.

SMI reserves the right to refuse access to any person who does not meet these eligibility requirements.

3. Accounts and Access

Creating an account

Certain parts of the Platform — including the student dashboard and mentor portal — require you to create an account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

Account security

You must notify us immediately at hello@schoolmanagementinstitute.com if you suspect unauthorised access to your account. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain account security.

Account termination

SMI may suspend or terminate your account at any time if you breach these Terms, provide false information, or engage in conduct that is harmful to SMI, other users, or third parties.

4. Programme Applications

Submitting an application to the SMI programme does not guarantee admission. All applications are reviewed by the SMI admissions team, and decisions are made at our sole discretion based on eligibility, available cohort spaces, and programme fit.

By submitting an application, you confirm that all information provided is truthful and accurate. Providing false or misleading information may result in disqualification or removal from the programme.

5. Scholarships and Fees

SMI offers scholarship opportunities — including fully-funded cohort places sponsored by EduMESS and partner organisations — to eligible applicants. Scholarship awards are subject to availability and may be withdrawn if a recipient is found to be ineligible or breaches these Terms.

Where programme fees apply, payment terms, instalment options, and refund conditions will be communicated at the time of enrolment. Fees are non-refundable unless SMI cancels a cohort or otherwise expressly agrees in writing.

6. Use of the Platform

Permitted use

You may use the Platform for its intended purposes: applying to the programme, accessing learning materials, interacting with your mentor, managing your profile, and exploring SMI's partnership and investor offerings.

Prohibited conduct

You must not:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation.
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation with any organisation.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Platform or its underlying systems.
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any other harmful code.
• Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data from the Platform without written permission.
• Use the Platform to harass, threaten, or defame any other user, mentor, or SMI staff member.
• Reproduce, distribute, or sell any SMI course content, materials, or intellectual property without written authorisation.
• Use SMI's name, logo, or branding without prior written consent.

7. Intellectual Property

All content on the Platform — including curriculum materials, videos, written guides, assessments, logos, graphics, and software — is the property of SMI or its licensors and is protected by Nigerian and international intellectual property law.

Students enrolled in the programme are granted a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive licence to access and use programme materials for personal educational purposes only. This licence does not permit resale, redistribution, or use for commercial training purposes.

Your feedback, submissions, and ideas shared with SMI may be used by us to improve our services without compensation or attribution, unless otherwise agreed.

8. Mentor and Partner Conduct

Mentors and partners who engage with SMI through our platform agree to:

• Maintain professional standards in all interactions with students and SMI staff.
• Respect the confidentiality of student information shared with them in the course of mentoring.
• Not solicit students for personal commercial services outside of the SMI programme without SMI's prior written consent.
• Comply with any additional guidelines issued by SMI for mentors or partner organisations.

SMI reserves the right to remove mentors or partners from the platform for conduct that is inconsistent with these obligations.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services, including partner organisations such as EduMESS, Feeable, Founder Institute, and Opingo & Co. These links are provided for your convenience only. SMI does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party site.

Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to those parties' own terms and policies.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. SMI does not warrant that:

• The Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure at all times.
• Any specific outcomes — including employment, income, or school performance improvements — will result from completing the programme.
• Information on the Platform is always current, accurate, or complete.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, SMI disclaims all warranties including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law, SMI and its directors, employees, mentors, and partners shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of profits, or business interruption.

Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount you have paid to SMI in the twelve months preceding the claim (or ₦10,000 if you have paid nothing).

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SMI, EduMESS, their officers, employees, mentors, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from your violation of these Terms, your use of the Platform, or your infringement of any third-party rights.

13. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in that policy.

14. Changes to These Terms

SMI may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or operational practices. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of the Platform after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

For material changes, we will notify registered users by email. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

15. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any dispute arising from or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Platform shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be referred to mediation or, failing that, to the courts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.

16. Contact Us