There are few characteristics of an already established school franchise that grabs the attention of the parents, enlisted below:

Experience and Control

Everyone knows the fact that kids need and deserve extra attention and care towards them. A school that has the experience of managing the kids will have enough patience and dedication in taking actions that can control kids. By control, we don’t mean restricting a kid in any way. Right control can take the kids in the right direction and enhance their learning and skills. Parents hesitate in choosing a name that is in its building phase. They want their kids to be in hands that deliver expertise, and it is hugely possible in an established brand name because every school chain not only distributes franchises but works on building their brand name. They make sure that the school is providing enough quality to maintain their policies and work culture in front of the parents. For that, training and proper guidance are provided to every school franchise.

Supply of Equipment and Products 

A quality school chain never lacks the services of equipment and products that are required for a kid’s learning. Every franchise is provided with materials regularly from their side. They make sure that every kid is treated with the same care and experience the same amount of joy at each franchise. A new business will have to toil hard for gaining expertise in providing quality standards of products and equipment that are well-suited for the kids. The established school name already works and researches on the needs of a kid and prepares products accordingly. Additionally, they cater it to their franchises from time to time which is an add-on in the mids of parents.

Innovations and Market research

A startup business of a school might lack the workforce that an established chain possesses. The workforce behind an experienced company always tries to be updated to the innovations of the modern world, they enchant better market exposure and knowledge that leads them to do better research and thus come up with better outcomes. In the end, it is all for the kids and their growth which is what the parents want. An aware parent will always look for the aspects that are helping their kid gain more in terms of innovations and motor skills. Established brands work in a flow and a system that is already functioning according to a plan, a new school might take some time for it which can affect the beginning years of a child’s learning.

Brand Presence and Connections

Believe it or not, brand presence and connections play a crucial part in a child’s overall growth. The involvement of the brand in social activities is relevant to building confidence in a child. The connections of the brand can offer new learning experiences for a kid in different ways. The brand presence that the school maintains helps every franchise in their growth not only online but in the minds of parents too. Another aspect that is beneficial for a kid and parents too is that the schools will have the determination to maintain their brand value along with their presence as the chain will not want to diminish its established name because of a single franchise.

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When we talk about women power, we generally tend to make a mistake of empowering women for a single day. May be, flooding them with quotes, wishes and at times gifts are on the roll. What happens the very next day disheartening yet, true. She sometimes has to or made to cripple her dreams, sit in the corner and wait for the right time which apparently never comes. Little do we know that a woman is in any case going to fulfill her duty but if she correspondingly takes steps towards her own dreams and aspirations, she shall do it in a more efficient manner. Have you ever heard “A happy man is his own Santa!” So is true with a woman. She has that inbuilt power to maintain a balance which keeps her fit to be called as the family observer. A woman does everything in a manner which is and in cases has already been an unparalleled sight for the world to see.

DEFINITION of Mompreneur

Mompreneur, or “momtrepreneurs”, is a term describing women who start or run their own businesses while also acting as a full time parent, where Mompreneur is a combination of the words “mom” and “entrepreneur”

(Source: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mompreneur.asp)

This piece of my writing thus aims at, not the chores a mother’s list of doing contains, but to the avenues that are open to her. Let us together look into the ideas wherein a mother can realize her potential of a mompreneur and consequently create her ‘happy within’!

Read On…… A mom can give her desires wings with these interesting take-ups:

• Teach!
There is nothing greater than this. Moms, who oversee her child’s subjects of study, can anytime become a language trainer or a subject tutor which she specializes in. Start batches according to your free time. Create your teaching room a box of learning with bright painted walls and you are good to go.

• Online Dealership
Mommies! In the era of technology, you have the entire world at the keyboard and under your fingertips. You are a click away from connecting to factory outlets and shops and confirm that you will circulate their products in the market. This shall require only a day or two hours work on your mobile phone.

• Online Selling
You can directly sell your produce online. If you are good at making greeting cards, design a website of your own, publicize it on the social network and start selling. Trust your abilities and show the world your piece of art.

• Online Tutoring
There are several teaching portals which get your details filled, conduct an online interview and connect you with the students’ tutoring needs all over the globe. So, just flair it out and tutor children on the subject you specialize in. You can even start your own tutoring websites.

• Consultancy and Counseling
You do not necessarily need a professional degree on counseling. You are already a counselor clearly telling your child each day about his/her wrong doing and right doing. Start and render your own professionalized counseling service over the telephone or as e – counseling.

• Family business
In case there is a family business of which you can be a part, plunge in the project and sail through. If you are good with numbers, take up accounting. If you love to converse, head marketing and there is a whole lot of possibilities heading towards you.

• Work of Accounts
You can start a business related to accounting procedures which are very transparent now. Fill returns, Prepare balance sheet, reconcile statements. This way you will have diverse contacts and accounts shall never let you short of work at any point of time.

• Writing/Proofreading/Editing
If you can write or have a strong hold over a language, enrich it further and there is no stopping. Write books; take up freelancing for work of editing and proof-reading. Write blogs and get them published at a platform of your choice.

• Hobby Classes
If you can paint well, dance to the tunes, sing melodiously or do anything that you feel can be bestowed and taught to the children, call them home. Start summer camps or evening classes. Decide upon a good and catchy name for your classes and get ready to spend some 4-5 hours of the day with the children.

• Hold Exhibitions
Preach your art or something you excel in. You need to show it to the world. The best way for doing this holding an exhibition. Get attractive pamphlets and flyers printed for informing about the same and inviting the public at the venue.

• Décor Consultant
Every woman decorates her own home. If you at all have interest in the home décor and interiors, you can work as a décor consultant. Visit the client site and work over the phone or E- mail for rest of the days. Tell them what would look good and what would not.

• Designer Boutique
Moms who keep in mind the latest trend can start their own boutique. Child boutiques are also in a great run today. They specialize in child dress material, designing and tailoring. You can sell the produce online or exclusively at your boutique.

Do remember to celebrate your success on March 8 every year.

Maybe, throw a party for people whom you work every day with!

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Every child at a tender age is looking up to you for knowing and understanding what patriotism is all about. Answer them graciously and give complete answers with a strong backed reason as to why loving your own country is too important a thing.

What is the meaning of ‘Patriotism’?

A feeling of belongingness, love and pride towards your nation and value it highly while wishing for it’s well-being is the true meaning of patriotism. No one-line definition can define patriotism though, but an essence of what it is all about for a child is discussed here in detail.

Further……….Read on……….!

Amidst a mush of nation’s unrest that we are undergoing, we keep flipping channels for updated news on what’s happening or going to happen next. Kids here are at peace and do not understand that we are in the state of a national emergency. All they can know about is the games they play every day, food they want to eat and school assignments they need to complete. Nation to them is a bigger thing and needs to be understood. You might face questions from these innocent ones as to who is fighting and why. Here, you come to play a critical role. You need to tell them the difference between violence and patriotism. Two highlighting point we need to touch upon as parents and teachers are – ‘PATRIOTISM’ and ‘SELF-DEFENCE’. You need to tell them that there is more we need to participate in the nation apart from celebrating Independence and Republic Day. Furthermore, you need to control your emotions and do not use language that disgraces any other country or its countrymen because you could seed it deep in the child’s brain, maybe forever. Never tell a child that it’s a state of WAR, but just tell them that peace is important but so is ‘SELF-DEFENCE’. How critical and trick-playing can you be as a parent or a teacher will be on test here. Read on and know more about instilling a sense of pride and patriotism in a child:

 Let your child know about national festivals. Tell them that days holding national importance are not just school holidays. Take them to the park and let them enjoy and participate in the flag hoisting. Accompany them as they would bombard with questions which you only can and should answer.

 Tell them the history of events holding national importance so that it seeds deep into his mind as to why and how the series of events took place which has made up to this occurrence of time. Tell them that the national emergency today arose due to a lot of things happening in the past which the nation could not take more of.

  Visit places of national importance like Red Fort, Wagah Border, Jallianwala Bagh to name a few. They will enjoy and learn. They will also form a tendency of linking the past with the current scenario. This will inculcate reasoning in them.

 Write/Read stuff for them. Bring them books with short stories on patriotism, national festivals and their importance. You will again be flooded with questions. Cater to each bit of it solemnly. They are growing and will watch your words very carefully.

 Inculcate in them the responsibilities of a good citizen. Tell them why we are following ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’. Tell them about proper garbage disposal. Also, tell them that praising your own country doesn’t have to involve demeaning words for the other nation.

 Update them with the news which is highly in media circulation. Answer their questions and here, tell them that the national emergency has arisen due to the intrusion of other nation in our boundaries. Also let them know that the soldiers of the nation are protecting us 24*7.

 Inculcate the importance of cleanliness of the country. Let them start from their own self. Move onto their house, then school, locality and then the national aspect. Let them know that the garbage will do only harm. Share videos and short stories on cleanliness of the nation. 

 Enjoy festivals with your child. Do not forget to educate them about the struggle for independence and making of our constitution. Use no technical jargons otherwise; the efforts shall go in vain.

 Respect the national flag and national symbols. Tell them that the flag is tricolor and the meaning of those colors. Also let them know that the chakra in between, the blue one, stands symbolizes progress of the nation. Tell them that the national flag should not touch the ground and always held high. Tell them about our National Emblem and the National Anthem. Tell them what’s beyond basics.

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Today’s generation is born with the skills to become excellent and super fast learners. They have an innate passion to explore, learn and live with fast-paced experiences. To help the preschoolers grow and excel academically, use of technology in the right fashion is essential.

Toddlers and Technology – What’s the matter?

Children are born investigators.  They tend to be over curious and wish to explore things around them. And technology, on the other side, provides a perfect platform for them to explore, imagine, create and groom the skills.

In the 21st century, the widened frame of technology has also included early childhood education in the developmental image. Technology helps the Montessori grade children to support an intellectual and advanced learning rather than cramming alphabets through books.

But the impact of this may also vary. Use of technology in the early education is directly proportional to the use and inclusion of technology in the curriculum laid down by the educators. At this stage of development, it is very important for adults to provide an amazingly positive technical overview as well as supervise the digital experience for the toddlers.

What is technology for young learners?

Technology for young learners is to provide an opportunity for the toddlers to grow as trend pacing and investigative students. The technologies that can be used for a toddler are categorized into three mainstreams including:

• Direct Devices

This is to help them explore programs pertaining to their subject of choice. Imparting knowledge through Speaking Books, Tablet learning etc, help in giving the usual playschool classroom scenario, a whole new experience.

• Audio-visual devices

The Audio-visual setting in the playschool structure helps the young children to use their sense organs actively and retain the audio along with visual in a much better way. Smart Classes, let the young children listen to stories, rhymes, songs and subjective audios that enhance their comprehending power and pronunciation too.

• Advanced technology

With trending technology, an advanced approach to learning has led to the emergence of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality that is weaving the thread of early education in a much profound manner.

Use of Technology in the Early Education Sector

Technology at the preschool level helps children to explore the opportunities so as to how well they fit into the modern world. Early childhood learning combined with technology encourages children to be independent, play freely and also gives them the power to tackle problems.

Here are some benefits of using the technology efficiently for children between 3 to 5 years of age:

• Fosters Basic Learning

The use of technology is one of the most beneficial modes of imparting the basic learning in playschool. Use of smart classes, tablets, and speaking books helps children to foster initial days of schooling to learn the basics concepts. Various preschools have developed specialized learning applications and software inclusive of the complete curriculum for all Montessori programs. With technology, boredom classroom learning becomes interesting and hassle-free for the little ones to tackle.

• Enhances the concentration level

In today’s learning, there is a long list of technical teaching aids used by various nursery platforms. On the playschool level, it is very interesting for children to have active play combined with teaching and learning. These products help children to indulge in the process of comprehending while focusing all the senses together without any distractions. This promotes the interaction of children with the technological learning with a smooth transition and less boredom.

• Learn about the environment around them

Technology allows the children at various levels of preschool to read, listen as well as watch videos on various things present around them. Along with this, the new technical provisions like AR and VR creates an artificial environment for kids to study their surroundings closely. This helps the little ones in grasping and retaining things faster along with developing the ability to understand and identify things around them in a better manner as compared to the traditional methods of teaching.

• Develop and encourage creativity

Technology is a boon for the children to build and strengthen their creative skills. With the help of digital technology, children use various methods of learning the same thing, making it easier for every child to adapt to their own comfort of understanding. Later on, this can be used for the practical purposes. By using digital tech-enabled activities, the creative nature of the children can be nurtured in a much profound manner. Providing an open experience of technology to the preschooler for the right purpose will definitely foster more responsible digital citizens in the future.

But, to no doubt, besides being a substance of worth, technology, at a certain point in time has greater chances of imposing a bad effect on your child. Thus, the use of technology in the right fashion is important!

Now, what does “the use of technology in the right fashion means?” Let’s discuss…

It definitely is a very dicey situation to add technology as a mode of instruction in the initial ages. With a booming power of changing world, technology may also have some reverse effects on the growing age of a child.

The best way for technology to be the fore-runner in education is by encouraging toddlers to use technology wisely under supervision. The studies collaborated with technology have shown better output as compared to the conventional methods of early education.

Technology coupled with many minds studying together can build a strong foundation for progressive thinking in children. Active outdoor time collectively joint with technology makes it easier to train children and also document their experiences and observations.

“With portable gadgets, technology can be used for better purposes. An adult supervision and involvement will actually simplify the overall process of play school learning…”

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Creating the perfect environment at home

The perfect quiet space for your child to study and learn in should be comfortable. Therefore, consider soft play mats and bean bags for young children to sink into. It’s also wise to paint the area in a calming color such as blue or green to ensure that your child isn’t over-stimulated when in the environment. In addition to providing handheld gadgets, consider a mounting a large touchscreen device on the wall so that the opportunity to be interactive is readily available.

Introducing technology

According to The Epoch Times, 63% of children have access to a computer within their home. Meanwhile, 27% use the internet on a daily basis. When linked up to the latest technology in your property, the internet is a great learning tool for children learning to read. Consider providing your child with a smart speaker in their quiet learning space as these speakers will read aloud to your child. Being read to and hearing words is one of the most effective ways for children to learn to read. Meanwhile, download reading apps on your child’s tablet to further encourage their reading through games and phonics.

Online safety

Unfortunately, the internet comes with its drawbacks. In order to keep your child safe when using the internet on the latest pieces of technology, installing parental controls is a must. 9 out of 10 parents state they find these controls useful, according to Internet Matters. Parental controls will prevent your child from being able to access and download content and apps which aren’t intended for their age group. Additionally, they also allow parents to control when and how long their child can access the internet. This is particularly beneficial for parents with children who frequently retreat to their quiet study space alone.

Every parent knows the importance of learning on their child’s development. Therefore, to provide the best learning environment and opportunities for your child, be sure to offer them a functional quiet study and learning space in their own home. And, don’t forget to incorporate the latest technology into the design to further enhance their interest.

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Back in the 1980’s, a renowned novelist, RK Narayan highlighted the issue of the heaviness of school bags in Rajya Sabha. While the debates clouded the matter, the committee issued certain instructions to CBSE and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan entailing the heaviness of school bags and the plight of children. Just after few days, the fire of the Rajya Sabha school bag discussion turned into ashes.

But, while entertaining all the debates, the weight of the school bags made a comeback recently all over again.

The agenda of the increasing weight of the school bags was revived again by the opposition at parliament to study the measures taken by the Government of India. To no doubt, states like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have successfully formulated the measures to deal with the weight and sagging bodies of the children.

Tamil Nadu has adopted the trimester system, under which the size of the Textbooks have been tailored and the content is bifurcated in such a manner, that the duration of each study session is reduced. Whereas in Maharashtra, digitization is booming the schools and books are partially being replaced by tablets and digital study material. Thus, reducing the weight of the school bags.

Yet there are majorities of children undergoing various problems due to the heavyweight of the school bags.

HEAVY BAGS AND IMPACT ON THE BODY

The heaviness of the school bags poses a major impact on the health of a growing human. The strap of a bag pressurizes the spine of a child and leads to stooping shoulders. Thus, making the body droop on the front due to which children end up walking like chimpanzees.

Carrying a heavy bag to school is definitely a distressing experience for every child. With the development in the core community of education, the heavy school bags are not only affecting the health of the students but are also a medium of demotivation against the morning activeness. A heavyweight on the developing shoulders poses a major threat to the skeleton system and leads to a stunted growth of the bones.

OVERBURDENED CHILDREN AND TECHNOLOGY

Nowadays schools are providing a wide variety of subjects and recreational learning for developing the Vocational Skills of children. Developed and developing brands of school are talking about creative learning. Now does this mean that a maximized scale of learning will lead to overburdened children under the literal pressure of books? What are we developing for if just we cannot unburden our little ones?

Being an answer to this problem, the technological boom can help us in managing the situation. The spurt of knowledge provided using technological equipments such as Smart Classes, Tablets, and Online Study Material are those mediums of knowledge that are developing each day. Making use of smart technology for imparting lessons in the book can actually help us light the pressure on the tiny shoulders and promote stress-free learning in the early formative years.

PARENTS AND STRESS-FREE BAGS – HOW??

We emphasize on the fact that parents need to contribute their bit towards the stress-free bags of their kids. There are various ways in which parents can help children in managing the weight of their bag. Some of them are:

• Buy the lightest one!

Whether it’s about compass box, lunch box or school bag; buy a lightweight stuff to avoid accumulating the additional fixed weight to the daily material.

• Smart Stuffing

Settle the bag smartly in order to avoid chaos and mismanaged burden. Keep the heavier books at the bottom, and light ones on the top along with the necessary accessories. Avoid the clutter of material all at a single place.

• Only Essentials… Nothing else!

Following a timetable can be fruitful to lessen the weight of the bag. Encourage children to follow the timetable. Keep a constant check on the excessive papers and stationery or other items in the bag.

• Broader Straps and Firmer Base.

Choosing an ergonomic bag, i.e. comfortable and efficient, with all possible supportive features can be a good option. A bag with a firm base and broader straps will distribute the pressure of the material on the shoulders and becomes easy to carry.

• Relax a bit!

Teach your child to relax a bit every time they need to wait. This can be done while waiting at the bus stop, traveling by metro, during the assembly, etc.

• Correct posture

The posture of a child while holding the bag can speak a lot about his struggle with the weight carried daily. If your little ones are bending forward or have rounded shoulder while carrying weight, it shows that the bag is either too heavy or mismanaged inside. Encourage your kids to walk with a straight spine and try not to bend. Also, keep a regular check on the weight of the bag.

If you are taking care of such small details for your child, then it will definitely help them enjoy their enriching school life joyously and manage the burden of a school bag.

There is a lot that we along with the parents of the little ones can do to nurture our future leaders. Switching over to options for advancement can de-stress this situation and the tired pupils.

Childhood is meant for blooming. Let it go burden free!

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Getting into an educational sector from a business perspective is something that definitely benefits every being. With population increasing at a rapid speed, along with the developing minds, the demand for actively working and qualitative playschools is also increasing.

Every parent is keen to enroll their children in the best of playschool for an advanced initial stage development.

Now, with few best of brands, it is not possible for a playschool provider to set up a playschool on every nook and corner of the society, all by self. Thus, the method of furnishing franchises of the same brand name and trademark in the playschool sector has definitely increased the number of preschools across the economy with a major boom.

But, still wondering what is franchising? Let’s find it out…

“What is Franchising?

Franchising is a process of granting a trademark or a brand name along with the system of the business, trade secrets and uniformity with a business or person concerned in the exchange of a royalty amount for the business. The person providing the franchise is a franchisor whereas the person opting for the same is a franchisee. Options like franchising actually help in opting for what has already been established, well tried and tested by the audience.”

Talking about the preschooling sector, with a rising need, majority of people look for pan India brands for nurturing their children with the best of childhood experience.

If you’re also planning to step in the preschool stage of the educational sector, then franchising is definitely a good option. But it is always advised to consider few factors before opting for a preschool franchise.

1. Span and Experience

It is very important to know the in and out of a playschool you’re looking forward to working with. Determining the number of years of operation and franchising of the company before going for a franchise tie-up is important. Since the number of years and the previous franchises can furnish a lot of information for the prospecting franchise holders, thus one should check for the span of operation and franchise experience of the prospecting preschool. More the number of years of operation, better will be the goodwill and market stability.

2. Quality Assurance

Researching online and offline about the franchisor will definitely help you to reach the results in a much profound manner. Social Media, being a quick fling will help you to determine the reviews of the parents as well as know about the activities going on in school. Have a look at the website of the play school carefully and read about the programs they’re offering in their school. Not only this, visit the already existing franchises nearby, to determine the quality standard followed in the franchises. At least try to visit 3 to 4 franchises in order to ensure the uniformity of the standards and know about the programs and curriculum followed in the preschool. Connect with the social media platforms for determining the likes, dislikes of the brand. Wait for the feasibility green flags before making an investment in the same.

3. Infrastructure and Designing

Some franchisors allow the franchisee to furnish and design the franchise as per their own will. Basically, this strategy is used to attract more and more franchisees. Such type of brands does not showcase any sort of uniformity in terms of infrastructure and designing. Especially when we talk about a playschool franchise, uniformity in terms of infrastructure and designing of the franchise is a must.

Not only this, it is always good to visit the nearby franchises of the playschool you’re prospecting to deal with. This will help you determine the type of interiors and overall infrastructure of the franchise you’re looking forward to investing your bucks in. One can easily infer the sense of how their preschool will look like and what will be the requirement of the franchise.

The standard maintained by the franchise portrays the practice of formal rules all across the nursery chain and makes it easy to distinctively recognize a brand as one and whole.

4. Staff Management

The role of a teacher or mentors in the preschool is just next to a mother, where they guide the little toddlers in shaping each and every aspect of childhood and easy transiting to a post-toddler stage. Thus, considering it as a regular teaching profession is just not justified. Being a nursery teacher requires the will to love the kids, and stroke their future for nurturing the best of a human being out of them. Thus, go for a franchise, where the selection of play school teachers is done very peculiarly, with a proper testing. Along with this, it is always good to check for the training for nursery teachers, provided by the head office of the preschool franchise. Considering the recruitment and training factors before signing the agreement of franchising is crucial to the fact that the teachers are the basic backbone of every playschool, and thus maintaining the quality becomes important.

5. Technology and Market Trends

With development pacing up day by day, the sector of technology has captured the minds of every new bud in the 21st century.  In today’s world, every school is working hard for providing a technology-centered educational environment where children are made to learn, instill, search and solve various situations using the technical aids. A preschool with the latest technology at par will definitely have a much more profitable venture in future as compared to the old school methods. Check for the in-house IT development department of the venture along with the social media reach and visibility of the playschool to determine the existing technological standards. Look for the latest market trends in the play school sector and then opt for the tech-savvy school for keeping up with the market trends for benefitting the children as well as the considering the future prospects.

6. Scope for Expansion

It’s good that you’re interested in opening a preschool franchise at first, but it is always better to consider the future expansion options before handing your money to anyone. Look for a playschool segment that has a chain of following primary, secondary and senior-secondary school segment for children. Go for a playschool chain that has a scope of further expansion in the near future and does not cut down your pathway to success.

7. School Restricted Radii

A preschool franchise will never bag a complete success if there’s another franchise of the same playschool brand in the nearby locality. Plus, the playschool brands selling their franchises in a mere space of success are only concerned with the quantity and not the quality, ultimately hampering the ethics. Thus, look for a nursery segment who assures a restricted school radii and operational place in the locality for every franchise. A minimum up to 2km to 3km of radii should be restricted for the construction of another franchise of the same brand. This will help your franchise to have greater chances of success and a place for operation along with more enquiries and enrollments.

So, these were the 7 points to consider before investing your money into a playschool franchise. By following these pointers, you can easily shortlist the best of playschool brands for investment and opt for the play school franchise at your will.

But always remember to follow the ethics of running a playschool and enriching every nook and corner of the place with quality and care. You have to be very welcoming to nourish the kids with the right values and profitability, hand in hand for a lifetime success.

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India is still a relatively young place in terms of its play schools. The concept of play schools as an institute run by professionals is not very old. By “institute run by professionals”, we mean that play schools have mostly been thought of as neighborhood schools run by mostly housewives, in a casual manner. Since, no legal requirements are to be fulfilled in order to open a play school in India, such neighborhood schools become an easy option to make money. However, there are obvious limitations that these schools suffer from. As a result, parents have realized to move away from these schools to the more professional institutes that provide meaningful early education.

Running these schools is no easy task. The reason for the shift to these schools is there quality of education and the professionals that are employed as teachers. So, it becomes crucial to maintain these standards in running these schools. This article focuses on highlighting these and many other challenges that are faced in running a play school. It becomes extremely important to overcome these challenges in order to continue running these schools.

Legal challenges

Legal challenges in India are the biggest if one wants to run anything. Fortunately, this is not the case with running a play school. For whatever reasons, the law does not require obtaining any licenses to run a play school in India. However, that does not mean there are absolutely no legal challenges at all. Depending on the state in which the play school in being run or set up, there might be laws that are required to be complied with. Obtaining licenses & permits thus becomes compulsory for running play schools in these states. Also, the law requires that the labor law rules be followed. If the school employs more than 40 (according to the revised labor laws) employees, it is required to comply with various labor laws. These include following the minimum wage rule, providing for provident fund payments, etc. It is also compulsory to pay bonusses during festival times, and one-month bonus salaries etc. Thus, one needs to keep all this in mind.

Professional Employees

As mentioned in the beginning itself, having professional employees in every department becomes very crucial, especially professional teachers. It is listed as one of the challenges because the number of truly professional teachers available in India for toddlers is very limited. It is a field that has not been taken that seriously. Often it is the housewives, or mothers that end up performing these tasks. Even though they are careful & patient with the kids, it is not always the case that they know how to deal with the kids. Play schools have an agenda of nurturing young minds; this is not always necessarily achieved by non-professionals. Hence, having a professional employee base is a challenge that all play schools must overcome.

Curriculum and Teaching Pedagogy

Curriculum and teaching pedagogy is a crucial element in running a play school. The question that is frequently asked is what to teach to such small kids. Although, the govt. provides some basic requirements that need to be incorporated in the curriculum, the schools can also include elements on their own. Thus, to include things that make for a quality education becomes imperative for a good school. There is a lack of good curriculum being designed in India. This needs to be changed.

What also forms part of a good curriculum is an advanced style of teaching. Teaching pedagogy being followed in India is still old & outdated. Teachers mechanically teaching a bunch of students in a classroom. This needs to be modified to attract a young toddler’s mind. What is required is more & better use of technology, forming personal bonds with students, healthy student-teacher ratio, and a lot more. This needs to come from the private sector employing professional & trained minds.

Overcoming Geographical challenges

As it turns out, in India geography also poses a major challenge in operation of play schools. Some of the most remote areas of the country are where a very substantial portion of kids live. To be able to reach out to these kids in these remote areas is a task that play schools must overcome. The main aim of play schools or schools in general is to enable children to lead a good life. If we leave out a major chunk of children from this exercise, then we can never claim to have achieved our goal.

Geography also becomes a challenge in ensuring minimum infrastructure. There is still no electricity is most of these regions. Thus, it becomes difficult to provide basic infrastructure to kids in schools.

Forming a trust bond

Probably the biggest challenge for any play school is to form a trust bond. This is a task that requires years of hard work and reaching out. Whether a play school manages to survive or not solely dependent upon the trust it manages to gain from the parents. If parents do not trust the brand name of the school enough to send their children to the school, then such a school has no value to it. Working towards ensuring this trust & maintaining it with the community is a never-ending process. Good teachers, efficient and kind administration goes a long way in building this trust.

There are many more challenges that are faced in running a play school. The above list or any other such list cannot be exhaustive. It gives us a basic idea of the broad challenges that are faced- technical & social- but it does not reflect the sundry challenges that are faced in day to day running a play school. Above all of this, the biggest challenge is the challenge of responsibility. Play school is more than just a business; it a serious commitment made to the society. These young children go on to define an entire generation, and every society is deeply invested in ensuring their well-being. Play schools need to reflect this commitment even more seriously.

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The franchise model today has become one of the most viable option today in the field of education. It comes with the obvious advantages of not having the burden to begin everything with scratch, and ensures a certain surety to the investments made. The franchise knows they will have the backing of an established brand, who will also act as a helping hand in almost every aspect of setting up a franchise. Thus, looking at from a vantage point, it is not hard to believe why the franchise model has become so popular with the growth in the private sector of education. Let us then, through the article, look in detail into the factors that contribute to the growing popularity of franchising.

The Legal Factor

Probably one of the biggest factor, the law and the legal aspect of starting any business in India is one of the biggest hindrances that anyone will face. It is, after all, for a certain reason that India is ranked so low in the ease of doing business index. To navigate through various legal and administrative channels is a task not easy to accomplish. The costs are high, and it takes a really experience team to figure out the multiple legislations and ways in which they have to be complied with.

In such a scenario, taking up a franchise seems to have a natural advantage to it. The franchisor comes in with a vast experience of having dealt with all the legal problems in the past, and the importance of such an experience can never be emphasized enough. From applying for registrations to finalizing land and figuring out all other legalities is a process that requires a lot of handholding.

Profiting from the brand name

Although, there is no doubt about the primacy of legal challenges as being the toughest anyone can face while setting up a new business, there are certain other fundamental challenges too that cannot be ignored in a market economy. One such challenge is the challenge of survival itself. With the increasing amount of contribution that private sector is making in the field of education today, it has invited a lot of public spirited corporate giants to invest in the field of education. While the benefits that society accrues from such investments, it is also not easy for any new player to make a mark in the field, for the chances are that they will be consumed easily. Free markets operate are competitive and nobody wants to lose out.

In such a scenario, it only seems wise become a franchise than start up a whole new operation with a lot of uncertainty of survival. The education sector demands stability as schools cannot afford to operate according to their own whims & fancies.

Getting access to resources

Another aspect of cutthroat competition is the difficulty of accessing quality resources. In relation to education, it amounts to hiring professionals who are good in their respective fields and have a lot to offer to the institutions they are associated with. A franchise associated with a brand name definitely has an advantage when it comes to hiring from the pool of talent, as compared to someone who is starting out on its own. There is a reason why some of the best institutes in the country today are engaging with teachers & professionals who are the best in their respective field. The cushion of working with an institute that they know has a wide outreach & can have a huge positive impact on the society ensures the faculty of the importance to associate with such institutes.

Also in terms of exposure & support that a franchisee gets at the start of the business itself is unmatched. Any established brand has a neatly organized structure that the franchisee can fall into. There are no requirements of voluntarily setting out to establish chains of doing business. The peculiarities of education field make such benefits all the more important. An educational institute cannot afford to learn by trial and error as it carries responsibilities that cannot be compromised with. An established business model with certainties in the ways of operation & who to work with, is certainly a very crucial factor.

Overcoming Geographical Challenges

Probably one of the biggest advantages of the franchise model has been its ability to expand itself to the most remote areas of the country. Access to education is such areas is still a problem that the government is grappling with. Any such effort requires great amounts of resources and various other challenges in terms of quality of education. However, the franchise model has helped to overcome these problems to a certain extend. With its ways of functioning, whereby a franchisor ensures all sorts of organizational help, while requiring investment by local players, some of franchisors have managed to reach out to the farthest locations of the country that were hitherto devoid of educational institutions.

This vast outreach has not come at the cost of quality at all. The institutes present in these remote areas follow the same standards & educational techniques that other well-established institutions follow. The franchisors ensure that the standards of education are maintained that go with their reputation. Also, this model ensures that capable tutors travel to these remote areas without any worries of security & stability.

This image tells the advantages of owning franchise in education.

Conclusion

There is a clear indication that going forward franchise is a crucial and most important way of getting into the education sector. The numbers tell the story that no one can deny. In the past decade or so, there has been a constant growth in the field of education & most of it has been through franchise acquisition. More & more franchise are being acquired and that seems to be the preferred option for some obvious reasons. The stability that some of the best-known names offer is unmatched & unparalleled. One only needs to look around themselves to discover the positive impact & the huge role franchises have come to play in the today’s world.

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THE ECCE POLICY

In its effort to reach out to the children between 0-6 years throughout the country, the government of India adopted the ECCE policy, i.e. the national early childhood care and education policy in the year 2013. The policy is aimed to reach out to the targeted audience mentioned above through efforts at both center and at the state level. Aanganwadis (village centers) are an integral part of this program as they are the centers entitled with carrying out the implementation of the program.

The policy of the government is not only aimed at covering huge number of children, but also focuses on the quality aspect of the education. It recognizes the fact that a child is as much affected by the surrounding in his/her growing years as by the formal structures of education & learning. This includes ensuring adequate amount of nutrition & health services are provided to these children. So, the policy covers all these aspects apart from ensuring pre-school education for these children.

Although broad in its perspective, the ECCE policy has taken a while to arrive. Even though not entirely compulsory, it is something that forms part of the right framework of children. The right to education act, 2010 made it compulsory for government to ensure education for children in the age group of 6-14 years. However, the act did not make it compulsory to ensure pre-school education for children below the age of 6, even though it did recognize the importance of early childhood education, and urged the government to provide a framework for education of children in the age group of 0-6, to prepare them well for their primary education. The ministry of women and child development thus proposed the National ECCE policy.

Trudging through difficult terrain

Even though the ECCE policy was successful in recognizing the problem at hand, and put into perspective a broad policy, its effect has not been entirely a success. The implementation of the program has not been up to the mark and highlights a lot of holes that need to be fulfilled. Problems such as increasing dropout rates for several thinkable reasons, infrastructural problems, the inability of first generation learners to grab the basic concepts of education, the lack of man force etc. have all contributed to preventing the effective implementation of the policy, on part of the government. The traditional caste equations, class equations in the society and the sheer geographical vastness of the country have posed challenges that the government has not been able to trudge through. It requires a dedicated & adequate task force both in terms of numbers & quality that the government has not been able to fulfill. Swiftness in policy implementation is not something public institutes have been recognized for and this is where the private sector has stepped in to save the day.

Tracing the contribution of private play schools in early childhood education in India

The private schools have had a huge role to play in filling the gap of early childhood education in India. Not only have they been at the forefront of recognizing the importance of pre-school education in India, they have also led the technological revolution in the field of pre-school learning. Although there is no official data available, the private schools have played a major role in bridging the deficiencies of the ECCE policy.

There are certain definite advantages that private educational institutes hold over the government institutes. Some of these advantages are as follows:

• The private institutions bring a fresh approach of working in a society riddled by such deeply rooted problems. The private institutions, with a single aim of transforming the children towards developing a set of qualitative skills, cut through the traditional caste problems and interact with families & kids that are in need of help.
• The private institutions also cut through the class problems in society by ensuring that children from each class of society come together in the classroom & learn together. The classroom environment ensures that children find themselves at equal level with each other and any bias is thrown out of the window by placing reliance entirely on developing cognitive skills among children. Also, reasonable fee structures & reservation of seats ensure that everyone is provided with equal opportunity to excel.
• The management abilities of a private institution and a dedicated, skilled taskforce ensure that the reach of a private institute is wide and comprehensive. This is well reflected by the fact some of the private institutes, like Bachpan, have over 1000 franchise spread over the length and breadth of the country. These are institutes capable of bringing a genuine change in the society.

Thus, private institutions hold certain fundamental advantages over public institutes and they have been well reflected in their ways of functioning. The private sector has effectively provided itself as an alternative to government institutes, and in the past decade or so, it has certainly led the charge of high quality pre-school education in the country. The sheer statistical vastness of the challenge faced by the country required that alternative avenues of education came up in support of government, and private educational institutes have provided that much required support. The task however, is far from fulfilled and continuing this effort in the right direction is the need of the hour.

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