GLOBAL EDUCATION PLAYERS FIND INDIA READY TO LEARN

A host of global players including Wall Street English, Sherpa Kids, Little Kickers, Kumon, among others, are set to have a big pie of the Indian education market. A world leader in adult English education, Wall Street English is eying cities like Delhi and Mumbai for setting up its centres here. “Any big urban hub with a lot of industries and business is a good place to start,” says Lex Baker, Franchise Management and Development Director, Wall Street English International.

Japan-based Kumon is another player in the race. It offers after-school math and reading program for kids K–12 and is planning to expand further. It already has its branches in Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi.

“The Kumon method is an individualized learning method. Students start with the level where they can attain a perfect score by studying on their own. If students continue to study at their own pace, they will catch up with their school grade level and eventually advance far beyond it,” believes Takaya Kitanishi, MD, Kumon India and Sri Lanka.

Playing and Learning

Canada-based Little Kickers uses soccer-based programmes to help in the early development of the child. Christine Stanschus, founder and CEO, Little Kickers, says, “Our services are structured, fun, safe, and educational that recognise and cater to the varying needs of different communities.” She adds: “India is a slightly different market for us. It is not very well-developed in terms of the edutainment offering to children when compared to its global counterparts and there exists an untapped potential.” After tasting success globally, she has decided to enter India and recently launched franchises in Mumbai and Gurgaon.

Besides, New-Zealand-based Sherpa Kids is planning to introduce the new concept of ‘out of school care’ (OOSC) provider in India which allows parents to leave children after school-time and engage them in activities customized to fit in with the requirement of their studies. Dawn Engelbrecht, Managing Director, Sherpa Kids International, says, “Education provides a booming opportunity and there is a huge change happening in the Indian market. As such, it will be great to be a part of this change. We will position ourselves as a premium yet an affordable player. Also, we will localize our offering for India and our fees would be around Rs 5,000 per month.”

Sherpa Kids’ activities include arts and crafts, music and drama, sport and games, cooking and technology. Many of them are based on specific themes, such as the circus, recycling, sporting events and space, and they are tailored to fit in with the individual requirements of schools and their curriculums.

Partners in Growth

The global brands have well understood that they should hand-hold with the regional players with local know-how to succeed in this market. “We are looking for regional partners who will bring to the table the operational and market knowhow and sufficient capital to open multiple centres. This will deliver the scale which a country like India needs to fully establish the brand,” says Baker. Sherpa Kids is looking for individuals who have the capability to develop and manage a regional territory.

“The individual(s) should have a business background in management and a resume of work history that supports working with people in a team environment while achieving success,” adds Engelbrecht. The company is planning to create a strong presence in all major cities by opening 50 centres within the next three years. Baker sees the potential in 10-12 major Indian cities to have at least 1-2 centres in each. “Later, the progress will depend on the demand in the market,” he shares.

Brand Investment