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Jan, 17 2017

NURTURING ENTREPRENEURS IN EDUCATION SPACE

As a demanding world awaits students in big schools, the time spent during preschool stage is gaining immense significance with passing year

With the concept of holistic development of children gaining ground among top schools and colleges, kids going to organized preschools alike offer you a big sigh of relief. Many parents now believe that early-learning programmes deliver better dividends than similar investments in university education.

Awareness levels in early years of education have been on the rise in the past few years. Despite this, the penetration is not more than 18%. Not too many brands have ventured beyond tier I cities. Similarly, lack of regulation in this industry is still keeping the segment unorganized. Leading the pack, Sanskriti Global Preschool sees a golden opportunity in reaching the masses, especially in tier-II and III cities with the right balance of quality, safety and affordability. Understanding the importance of contemporary teaching and integration of technology, Sanskriti Global Preschool offers affordable, international standard curriculum integrated with technology.

When asked about the need & inception of Sanskriti Global Preschool, Revathi Raju, its Founder, avers “My passion for early years education prompted me to establish my first center in Oct’ 2001 at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. I was amongst the very few who initiated the Play Group concept for 1 year olds. The circumstances were completely different then. I faced many challenges in raising awareness on the importance of preschool. Back then, the play group concept for 1+ year olds was just evolving and parents were accustomed to the system of child education only after 3 years and that too directly at K12 schools. But my belief and my efforts paid rich dividends as I managed 150+ children within one and a half years of establishing the school. Focusing on value-added education, I initiated the concept of nutritious meals as early as in 2001.”

PIONEERS TO PROMOTE PERSONALIZED EDUCATION

The tried and tested, patented pedagogy IMAGO is the core USP that differentiates Sanksriti from any other brand. Secondly, this pedagogy is well integrated with advanced technology called mSanskriti which is again an IP that belongs to Sanskriti. They are the first ones to promote personalized education (1:1 ratio) with the support of technology. Thirdly, the curriculum is based on the Singapore literacy and numeracy benchmarks. So technically, it is an international standard curriculum. Fourth, the brand is affordable for franchisees & parents both. Their low-cost investment model has helped them reach smaller cities where preschool penetration is negligible. Above all, the credibility and reputation gained over a successful journey spanning 16 years with their unique insights and expertise makes them the top the priority list by parents & franchisees.

PARTNER WITH A SCHOOL THAT GIVES YOU NAME, FAME & FUTURE

Franchising is regarded as the stepping-stone towards the brand’s growth across major cities in India. On necessitating preschool franchising in India, Revathi says, “Currently, there is a vast supply-demand gap. We need more quality preschools to cater to this growing demand. As of now, 78% of the industry is still unorganized and I am anticipating a shift. As per the census data, we would need a minimum of one million preschools in the country. Similarly, preschools should be made more affordable both for parents and also for the prospective franchises in order to cater to this demand.”

The brand believes franchising is a win-win for all three stakeholders - parents, franchisees and franchisors as this business model offers opportunities for small business owners to be independent and at the same time receive support from the big, networked brands. For companies, it is an asset light model and cost effective way of achieving their vision within a short span of time. For parents, it is localized support and affordable model. Franchise models have very simplified transactions with no complications both in-terms of tie-ups and operations. It is a low-risk model for both franchise and franchisor.

STEPS TO ASSOCIATE WITH SANSKRITI GLOBAL PRESCHOOL

It’s a gateway for opportunities as the brand carries more than sixteen years of expertise in preschool education and has been pioneer in setting benchmarks. For Sanskriti Global, the priority is to ensure that the brand philosophy is not compromised while chasing the franchisee expansion program. The management believes that quality trumps quantity always. Demonstrable passion for education, entrepreneurial inclination with strong business acumen and uprightness that finds a natural connect with the Sanskriti value system are factors that will guide the company in selecting a potential franchisee. In addition to these, prospective individuals who can offer the right property at the right location have an edge over others.

TRAINING & SUPPORT TO PARTNERS

Unlike other preschooler brands, Sanskriti starts with intensive orientation programs for their business partners. They offer customized orientation modules for partners from diverse backgrounds and also extend a 1-week theoretical and practical training program for coordinators and center heads at the Head office.

For existing & potential franchisees the chain offers a host of unparalleled benefits including comprehensive training, audit and marketing support programs which have been thoughtfully designed to streamline franchisee operations and drive enrolments.

EXPANSION PLANS & VISION 2020

With a hope to educate 1 lakh children, generate 5000+ employment opportunities for women, 500+ small scale business entrepreneurs, establish thought leadership, influence the shift from unorganized to organized industry while training and nurturing 1000+ staff, the brand is optimistic for scalability & is looking at expansion pan-India. 

Q&A

'EDUCATE TO EARN'

Revathi Raju shares her thoughts on how her journey has been, early learning trends, challenges & how she is planning to make a mark in the education industry.

Five latest trends in the early learning business. Do you also offer day care services at your centres. Are you in favour of opening night care centers especially in metros?

Integration of technology, flexible day care, flexible pre-school programs, penetration of mother-toddler programs and proliferation of international standards are key trends influencing this space. As for day care services, while we do have day care facilities at some of our centers, we are yet to initiate night care centers: this may be considered on a need-basis in the near future.

What are the major challenges that pre-school brands are facing in India?

Well, shortage of quality teachers, staff attrition and high rentals are the major concerns for pre-schools today. Recruiting good quality teachers in tier-I &IIcities is becoming increasingly difficult. Sanskriti rightly anticipated these challenges and initiated the in-house teacher training modules which helps franchisee train teachers, especially the average talent and improve their teaching standards. We also created detailed lesson plans to enable even the average teacher deliver on par accepted teaching standards.

Any preference to partner with women entrepreneurs & your message to empower women in India.

Being a woman, I can vouch that women are very enterprising, consistent in whatever they do and are good at multi-tasking. They have the motherly connect with children which allows them to treat every child as their own, besides taking responsibility for bringing up all the children with the right values. To create opportunities for women, education is perhaps the most sought ideal sector. It helps women strike a balance between their personal and professional lives. I am glad that Sanskriti has created an affordable opportunity, especially keeping women entrepreneurs and empowerment in mind.

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