MatricBase is a free Android app for South African Grade 12 (matric) learners, providing NSC past exam papers and memos, an APS calculator, university and bursary information, and study tools. MatricBase is developed and maintained by Siyanda Nonkala, trading as DSK Nexus ("we", "us", "our").
MatricBase is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Department of Basic Education, NSFAS, or any government entity. Past paper and curriculum information is sourced from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) — official source: education.gov.za.
This policy explains what information MatricBase collects when you use the app, how it's used, and the choices you have. It applies to the MatricBase Android app and to matricbase.co.za.
MatricBase is currently in closed beta and not yet publicly available on Google Play or the App Store. While this is the case, matricbase.co.za asks visitors for an email address to join the launch waitlist.
| Data | What it's used for | Sent to |
|---|---|---|
| Email address | Used only for testing purposes during closed beta — to notify you when MatricBase launches publicly, and, where relevant, to invite you to take part in beta testing. It is not used for marketing, newsletters, or any other purpose, and is not sold or shared with advertisers. | Netlify Forms |
Once MatricBase exits closed beta and launches publicly, we will delete waitlist email addresses that are no longer needed for launch notification purposes. If you'd like your waitlist email removed sooner, contact us using the details in Section 12.
MatricBase does not ask you to create an account, and we do not collect your name, email address, phone number, school, or any other directly identifying information. The table below lists everything the app sends off your device, and why.
| Data | What it is | Sent to |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous device ID | A random string generated on your device the first time you use a feature that needs it (e.g. dev_xxxxxxx). It is not your Android Advertising ID, IMEI, or any identifier issued by Google or your device manufacturer, and it cannot be used to look up your name or contact details. |
Our database (Supabase) |
| Course / university click events | When you tap "Apply" or view a course in the eligibility checker, we log which course and university were clicked, alongside the anonymous device ID and a timestamp, so we can see which programmes learners are most interested in. | Our database (Supabase) |
| App opens & screen views | Each time you open the app, and each time you switch screens (e.g. Home, Study Hub, Progress), we log that event with the anonymous device ID and a timestamp. | Our database (Supabase) |
| Subject and bursary views | When you open a specific subject or expand a specific bursary's details, we log which subject or bursary, alongside the anonymous device ID and a timestamp, so we know which subjects and bursaries are most useful to learners. | Our database (Supabase) |
The following is stored locally using your device's app storage (localStorage / IndexedDB) and is never transmitted to us or anyone else:
| Data | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Exam history & scores | Powers your Progress screen, streaks, and per-subject performance tracking. |
| Saved / bookmarked papers | Lets you quickly find papers you've marked for later. |
| Downloaded paper PDFs | Cached so you can open papers offline. |
| APS calculator inputs and results | So your last calculation is remembered between visits. |
| University application tracker entries | Lets you track which courses/universities you're applying to. |
| App settings | Low Data Mode, premium status, and similar preferences. |
Because this data lives only on your device, we have no way to access, recover, or delete it on your behalf — clearing it is entirely in your control (see "Your choices" below). Uninstalling the app, or clearing the app's storage in Android settings, removes it permanently.
We do not use this information to build advertising profiles, and we do not use it to identify or contact individual users — the device ID is not linked to any name, email, or account.
We use Supabase, an open-source backend platform, to store paper metadata (subject, year, download links) and the anonymous analytics described above. Supabase processes this data on our behalf and does not independently use it for its own purposes. See Supabase's privacy policy for details on their infrastructure.
MatricBase is distributed via Google Play. Google may collect certain technical data (such as install and crash data) as part of operating the Play Store and Android platform, governed by Google's Privacy Policy — this is separate from, and outside the control of, MatricBase.
While MatricBase is in closed beta, the waitlist email form on matricbase.co.za is processed by Netlify, our website hosting provider. Netlify stores form submissions on our behalf; see Netlify's privacy policy for details.
The app and this website load the Syne and DM Sans typefaces from Google Fonts, which may log standard request data (such as IP address) as part of serving the font files.
The app loads the PDF.js library, used to display exam papers, from cdnjs.cloudflare.com, which may log standard request data (such as IP address) as part of serving the file.
MatricBase does not contain advertising and does not integrate any ad networks, social media SDKs, crash-reporting SDKs, or third-party tracking/analytics SDKs beyond what's described above.
Because MatricBase has no accounts, we can't verify who a given device ID belongs to, so we can't offer a traditional "delete my account" flow. If you'd like the analytics rows tied to your device ID removed from our database, you have two options:
We retain anonymous analytics data (device ID, click/view events) for up to 12 months from collection, after which it is deleted or aggregated into figures that no longer reference an individual device ID.
MatricBase is built for Grade 12 learners, many of whom are minors. We do not require an account, do not knowingly collect names, contact details, or other directly identifying information from any user regardless of age, and the analytics we do collect is tied only to an anonymous, non-identifying device ID. The waitlist email described in Section 2 is only ever used for closed-beta testing and launch notification purposes. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with information that allows them to be identified, contact us using the details below and we will investigate and remove it.
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect the limited data we collect, including transmitting it over encrypted (HTTPS) connections to Supabase. See Section 8 for how long analytics data is retained. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
We may update this policy as MatricBase changes — for example, if we add a new feature that collects different information. If we make material changes, we'll update the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to check back periodically.
If you have questions about this policy or how MatricBase handles information, reach out to matricbaseapp@gmail.com and we'll get back to you.