Playschools turn big business

Hyderabad: Playschools have become lucrative business for reputed schools in the state. These schools set up chains of playschools to encash their brand value.

 

Parents, with the hope that their wards would get seats easily in these schools in Class I, are going for these playschools. However, there is no guarantee that all pre-school students will get admissions. Despite this, there is a huge demand for these playschools. 

 

Securing seats for their wards in reputed schools in Class 1 is getting tougher for parents with each passing year. With no common admissions calendar in Hyderabad, parents have been forced to approach each and every reputed school since October to get application forms for admissions in April 2016.

 

The schools issue forms for just one or two days and parents have queue up to get them. Despite this, there is no guarantee that they will get a seat because most schools issue applications in thousands while there are just 150 around seats. 

 

To avoid this, parents are taking the playschool route hoping that they may get preference in Class-I admissions in these schools. This is encouraging reputed schools to set up chains of pre-schools.

 

The craze for pre-schools has reached such a stage that the schools are adopting the franchisee model. Individuals are allowed to set up playschools using their brand name and will have to share revenues in the 60:40 ratio. “It's easy to set up a pre-school. Anyone who can invest Rs 10 lakh can set up a pre-school. No approvals from the government are required. Only thing they need are premises which can accommodate 50 to 100 students which would be available for rent for Rs 20,000 in the city. They can collect fees ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per year from each student, that too only for a half day. Just two-three instructors and some maids are required. This is the model adopted now," said Mr S. Sreenivas Reddy, president, TS Private Schools Managements Association.

 

The publicity by schools spin around brand names and gives the impression that it would be easy to get seats in Class-I if kids come from their pre-schools.