4 Things To Consider Before Starting A Pre-School In India

Preschools have become a flourishing business in India.  A preschool business can be a good choice if you have an interest in stimulating young minds, a nurturing spirit and plenty of energy. Preschools have yielded high income and indeed are a lucrative business to invest in. In this business, you will provide supervision, fun activities and educational opportunities for small children. You should arm yourself with the right information, develop a clear plan, and stay organized as many preschools have failed to meet several ethical criterions along with key factors that would otherwise contribute towards a successful preschool business. Your success will depend on careful management of the process from start to finish. Here are few things you should consider before starting a pre-school in India.

Licenses & guidelines

It is important to know about the State Education Act and play to obtain the relevant registrations, prior to starting a preschool or school. To start a preschool, currently, there is no central law regarding the registration, though State Government have enacted laws such the 'Private School Education Acts' in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and others which regulate the operations of a school. Regarding the starting and running of a preschool, many other states have letters issued by the State Government (under the guise of RTE Act).

Business plan

If you are planning to start a preschool business, it is recommended to prepare a business plan. While working on your business plan, write out policies, procedures, and handbooks for your staff and families.  You’ll need to invest in things like business research, rental advance, furniture, toys and equipment, colours and paints etc. You’ll also need to develop, under the guidance of your local preschool licensing requirements, a disaster or crisis management plan and health, safety, privacy, and nutrition protocols. The business plan for a preschool should consist of the following details:

-Whether the business will be full time or part-time.

-Funds required for leasing, renting, salaries, vehicles, equipment etc

-Infrastructure and Location.

-How many children you will cater to.

-How many teaching, admin and support staff you need to hire.

-Indoor and outdoor area.

Location & Infrastructure

 The location plays an important role in pre-school business. It is very important to invest time in searching for the correct location and adequate space to set up the preschool business. The preschool ought to be located in a child-friendly area and space should be adequate to set up infrastructure accordingly.  Cleanliness and hygiene are vital for a pre-school, so make sure that the location is well maintained and does not possess any health risk. Enter into a long-term lease or rental with the landlord, in case the location where the preschool is set up is not an own premise, to ensure that the investment in terms of infrastructure and business development isn’t jeopardized.

Staff

Without quality staff, you will not have a quality preschool program. Hire employees for your preschool as needed. You may need a preschool teacher, depending on the size of your preschool program, to head each room as well as aides for helping with supervision. Each state has distinct requirements for preschool teachers; verify the licensing requirements for staff ratios and teachers’ educational backgrounds. Preschool staff are subject to criminal and child abuse background checks, be sure to rigorously verify references and education levels. You may set criteria that exceed the state requirements.