Effective Date: 7 June 2026 | Last Updated: 7 June 2026
1. Introduction
First Steps Education (“First Steps”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits our website at firststeps.com.my or interacts with our organisation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) of Malaysia.
By using our website or submitting any information to us, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Please read it carefully.
2. About Us
First Steps Education is a social enterprise operating play-based kindergartens in rural Sabah, Malaysia. Our mission is to make quality early childhood education accessible to every child, regardless of how remote their community.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at:
First Steps Education
Email: support@firststeps.com.my
Website: https://firststeps.com.my
3. Information We Collect
3.1 Information You Provide Directly
We may collect the following categories of personal information when you interact with us:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Email address
- Uploaded resume / CV
- Messages or enquiries submitted through our contact or application forms
3.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain technical data may be collected automatically, including:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Pages visited and time spent on our website
- Referring website or source
- Device type and operating system
This information is collected via cookies and standard web analytics tools. Please refer to Section 8 for our Cookies Policy.
3.3 Information About Children
Our kindergarten programmes serve children aged 3–5 years. We do not collect personal data directly from children. Any information related to enrolled children is collected from their parents or legal guardians and is subject to additional care and confidentiality. If you are a parent or guardian and have concerns about data collected in relation to your child, please contact us at support@firststeps.com.my.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
- To process and respond to teacher or staff job applications submitted through our “Teach With Us” form
- To respond to general enquiries and messages sent to us
- To send programme information, updates, or newsletters (only where you have opted in or it is relevant to your enquiry)
- To improve our website content, usability, and user experience
- To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations under Malaysian law
- To contact you for follow-up regarding your application or enquiry
5. Legal Basis for Processing
Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) of Malaysia, we process your personal data based on the following grounds:
- Consent — where you have voluntarily provided your information through our forms or contact channels
- Contractual necessity — where processing is required to take steps at your request (e.g. evaluating a job application)
- Legitimate interests — where we have a legitimate reason to process your data and it does not override your rights (e.g. improving our services, maintaining website security)
- Legal obligation — where we are required to process data to comply with applicable Malaysian law
6. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers — with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, managing applications, or delivering communications (e.g. website hosting, email platforms). These parties are bound by confidentiality obligations and may only process your data as instructed by us.
- Partners and collaborators — with organisations such as Chrisdale Education Technology and other listed partners, strictly in the context of programme delivery or teacher training. Any such sharing will be done with appropriate safeguards in place.
- Legal requirements — where we are required to disclose your information to comply with a legal obligation, court order, or government request.
- Business transfer — in the unlikely event of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, your information may be transferred to the relevant successor organisation.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes stated in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law. Specifically:
- Job applications: retained for up to 12 months after the position is filled or closed, after which they are securely deleted
- General enquiries: retained for up to 6 months unless an ongoing relationship is established
- Website analytics data: typically retained for up to 26 months in an aggregated and anonymised form
Once data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.
8. Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your browser — to improve your experience and help us understand how visitors use our site.
We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies — necessary for the website to function correctly (e.g. form submission)
- Analytics cookies — to understand visitor behaviour and improve our website (e.g. Google Analytics)
- Preference cookies — to remember your settings and choices
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information on managing cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
9. Your Rights Under the PDPA
As a data subject under the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act 2010, you have the following rights:
- Right to access — you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Right to correction — you may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to withdraw consent — you may withdraw your consent to our use of your data at any time, though this will not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal
- Right to limit processing — in certain circumstances, you may request that we restrict the processing of your data
- Right to be informed — you have the right to be informed about how your data is being used, as set out in this Privacy Policy
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing at support@firststeps.com.my. We will respond to your request within 21 working days.
10. Data Security
We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures include, but are not limited to:
- Secure HTTPS connections on our website
- Access controls limiting who can view personal information internally
- Secure storage of submitted application data
While we do our best to protect your personal data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you not to share sensitive personal information beyond what is necessary.
11. Third-Party Websites and Social Media
Our website may contain links to third-party websites and social media platforms (such as Facebook, X/Twitter, and YouTube). This Privacy Policy applies only to firststeps.com.my. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.
12. Children’s Privacy
Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children through our website. Any data related to enrolled children is collected from parents or guardians only.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child without appropriate parental consent, please contact us immediately at support@firststeps.com.my and we will take prompt steps to delete such information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational requirements. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this document.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
First Steps Education
📧 support@firststeps.com.my
🌐 https://firststeps.com.my
We are committed to working with you to resolve any concerns about your privacy.
This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Malaysia, including the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709). Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of Malaysian courts.