The preschools opportunity, post pandemic, is large and needs to be explored.
Most of the last 18 months have been spent under lockdown or uncertainty over the future of work, education and normal life. The reopening of the country after the first lockdown and the ensuing second wave has created more uncertainty in the future easing of restrictions for regular business. During this time work from home has been forced upon almost everyone. Schools have also tried online schooling / hybrid schooling. It has been difficult. Parents get to spend more time with their children but they must manage their work and the online sessions of their children.
Need for parents
Beyond a certain time it becomes difficult to manage both effectively and efficiently. It is easier with older children who can sit on their computers unattended. But for preschoolers it has been particularly difficult. They have lost a crucial year of social interaction and education. Parents have seen little benefit in enrolling their children in preschools for a year of online education. It can be very challenging for a parent to get their children to sit at a computer for the duration of a class. Several preschoolers have missed out on school education altogether.
So what now? After the lockdown, working parents will need good preschools, even when they are working from home (Assuming working from home continues for them). In such a scenario the preschool needs to be close to their homes. For preschool education parents will continue to prefer proximity, safety and comfort for their children. That we feel is an opportunity.
The PreSchools Opportunity
Premium preschools that offer engagement, safety and security. More experiential engagement centres than just classroom based schools. We had already seen a shift towards premium preschools before the covid pandemic and we feel it will be more so now. Over the last few years we have overseen the launch of premium pre-schools offering diverse experiential learning. Specially designed engagement zones as opposed to traditional classrooms, that children are raring to explore their spaces. Spaces that are designed keeping in mind social engagement of groups of multiple sizes. Spaces that are flexible to handle multiple use, that can be safe even when special norms such as social distancing or other public health measures are required.
Given the needs of a 21st century education, we have always laid great importance on flexibility, innovation and creativity even in designing schools. Schools of this nature are better able to handle change. Such schools set their infrastructure in place, at the same time they also develop their team. The leadership is highly qualified with experience in imparting a 21st century education. Also a focus on growing the rest of the team with tactical hires that bring their expertise, knowledge and experience. Key roles are assigned responsibilities that meet the needs of the school, ones that build collaborative and constructive relationships.
Over the years, Newton Schools has provided services as project consultants in developing the school concept, marketing strategy and the financial projections. Such engagements begin at the concept stage when the school is an idea and perhaps even the land has not been acquired. We have also worked in already initiated projects as academic/management consultants defining the curriculum, the teacher training and recruitments. Our parent firm, Newton Services has executed projects in civil construction and interiors to make the concepts come alive. And in other projects as management consultants building a bridge between school owners and everyday operations of schools.
