Aysha Anam finds out how parents are putting age-long myths struck around extracurricular activities at bay and encouraging children to follow their passion
Time and again great minds have proven that extracurricular activities help you in striking the right chord of success and shaping your overall personality. In this age and time, with corporate culture gaining ground and the need to be competitive becoming mandatory, it is the concept of after-school institutes that is gaining increasing importance, more so in the larger cities. No wonder then that this segment of the education industry is turning profitable with each passing day.
Busy in making ends meet in this cut-throat era, parents face difficulty in finding time for their children. As such, home space is being swapped with learning daycare centres, where children not only spend their time but also sharpen their skills. “After school, children either have to go to a daycare centre or spend time with the maid at home. Creative exposure is the best lookout for parents because it ensures a safe environment where kids not only learn from experts but also exchange ideas with like-minded fellow mates,” says Geetika Goyal, Director, Magic Creation, an institute for visual and performing arts.
Parents are thus giving a fair chance to their children to explore opportunities in a healthy environment. In particular, as reality television shows have successfully shattered the stereotypical image of dance, music and art, parents are now looking beyond the traditional style of studies and taking the inherent talent of their children more seriously. “Due to the exposure of reality shows, parents are now able to understand the process of turning passion into profession,” says Sunil Bhardwaj, Manager Operations, Tansen Sangeet Mahavidyala.
Further, with children, and more so the adolescents, often becoming a victim of depression when they are unable to express their emotions and talent, such centres that offer space to unleash creative energies come as a blessing in disguise. “Dance is one of the best methods to release stress. It also improves health, confidence and concentration level and fills the child or teenager with a positive approach towards life. Also, they are no more glued to their mobile screens all the time,” says Marzi Pestonji, COO, Shiamak Davars Institute of Performing Arts.
Performing Arts: A Million Dollar Industry
As per the demand in the industry, institutes are giving special emphasis to performing arts - music, dance, painting and theatre. “Each activity calls for immense focus. If I talk about fine arts and dancing, then the former helps the mind to think out-of-the-box within a disciplined environment while the latter helps the children to channelize their energy in a systematic manner,” Bhardwaj points out. “With our institute they get a chance to shake a leg with renowned personalities and we have a programme for every age group. We don’t just teach dance; we uplift the overall personality of a child,” says Pestonji. Adding to this, Goyal says: Every parent wants the child to be able to express, speak in public with confidence and that’s where theatre helps a great deal.”
The Franchising Market
Nowadays, schools are merging with performing arts and sports institutions in order to provide better infrastructure, brands, trainers and of course proximity to parents in their residential areas. Basically, the franchise industry is the backbone of this industry. But one needs to tread with caution too. As Bhardwaj points out, “You need to be ready to take the responsibility of the brand as well show financially stability, else it can spoil the market. It’s a very simple market where you only have to deal with parents, guardians and grandparents but there is a huge trust factor involved.”
Elaborating about the various facets of this industry, Bhardwaj says, “The demand in the market fluctuates every now and then, which is why it is important to observe the trends closely. Currently, the extracurricular industry is bearing the benefits of technology by connecting multiple franchisees with senior trainers at the headquarters for training and assistance.”
Indeed, it is not feasible for the CEOs to be present at all the institutes at various locations and that’s where experts come in, who can also guide the industry for its future development. Also, it has become important to add the ‘star’ quotient to make this business a success. As for example, the name of renowned dancer and choreographer Shiamak Davar lends tremendous weight to the franchisees of the Shiamak Davars Institute of Performing Arts. “The brand value does count. It helps build a sustainable structure with our franchisees for constant growth,” is how Pestonji puts it.
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