Early Education: Definitely lucrative business as demand continues to grow

Early Education: Definitely lucrative business as demand continues to grow

Burhanuddin Abe, Contributor, Jakarta

Today, parents in major cities seem to recognize the
importance of early education for their children. In Jakarta, for
instance, numerous educational centers for children below the age
of five have mushroomed in recent years. This boom has been
triggered mostly by the needs of upper-middle- and upper-class
families who have little time to attend to their children's early
educational requirements. Seeing a great opportunity to reap
profits, many have jumped on the bandwagon and established such
services.

Siska, a two-year-old girl, was a bundle of joy on the way to
her "campus" with her mother for her first day at a playgroup in
Menteng, Central Jakarta. This playgroup, with 10 pupils in each
of its classrooms, was enveloped in an atmosphere of true
merriment.

Ivan Illich -- one of the modern thinkers -- may well
criticize the existence of educational centers that "shackle"
today's human beings but these play groups are in great demand,
including the one mentioned earlier, and cater to infants from
one year to three years old. This franchisee of a U.S.-based
institution has astutely taken advantage of the small business
opportunity in Indonesia's major cities. Although almost every
residential area has a playgroup, a new player in this field can
still manage to squeeze into this particular segment.

Within two years after its establishment, the playgroup's
pupils has grown to 600. "There have been a lot of requests to
open more branches, but we prefer to concentrate on the existing
ones," said one of its managers, who wished to remain anonymous.

In July 1992, a franchisee of Lorna Whiston Study Centre,
based in Singapore, started its business in Jakarta. According to
SWA business magazine, some 500 pupils enrolled there within
three years. Its focus is more on teaching English language to
all of its pupils.

Though each school's curriculum may vary, the basic aim is
very much the same: to motivate children to become more active,
independent and self-confident. The children learn while playing
as well as through games and songs. Simple greetings, like "good
morning" and "good afternoon", are repetitiously drilled so that
they get used to using them when coming to and leaving the
school.

For toddlers, the lessons focus more on their motoric
capabilities through the various games and equipment. "I used to
worry about my daughter when she was taught to climb up the
stairs. I thought it was too much for a two-year-old, but then I
realized that such things are part of their motoric education,"
commented Rahayu, who works in an advertising agency.

With a population of about 25 million children below the age
of five and whose parents may both be working, the need for such
educational centers is undoubtedly enormous and so are the
opportunities for reaping profits.

Rahayu disclosed that one of the reasons she had enrolled her
daughter was due to her busy schedule as a career woman. As she
and her husband had to work, she wished that her child's
development was neither hampered nor lagged behind other
children's. "I'm not a trend follower, but I really believe in
the importance of education that starts very early," she said.

Lessons at these play groups differ from those given at
kindergartens. The younger the pupils, the simpler the education:
For example, children aged 1.5 years are taught how to wash their
hands properly, discard used tissues and appropriate toilet
manners. Singing and identifying colors and the like are all
wrapped up in a playful spirit.

What makes the local play groups different from their
franchised counterparts is the curriculum. The domestic ones tend
to teach more formally, like having the pupils sit properly in
their seats, wear uniforms, learn to write and count from one to
10 and do some homework.

The foreign-based playgroups, on the other hand, stimulate
more creativity, as the pupils may sit or lie on the floor where
they can play a variety of games with abundant toys. Here, the
tables and chairs are not in neat order. "Everything is based on
playing and games. The children can then easily absorb the
concrete sense of arithmetic as they count real fruit and toys,
which makes more sense than counting or writing abstract
numbers," said Tika Bisono, a child psychologist, whose child
attends one of the playgroups in the city.

Toddlers, meanwhile, are guided to recognize words, their
names, to walk and dance. Next they are also taught to identify
colors, animals and to communicate better through games and
songs. This way a child is expected to be more independent,
confident and creative.

The Gymboree playgroup has some 60 games based on those used
for U.S. children, such as jumping, diving into a pool,
somersaulting etc., which often shocks a number of local parents.
However, the seemingly dangerous games have been adapted to the
capability range of each age group and the games are all
organized in a spirit of fun.

The KeenKids Children Center provides a variety of toys to
stimulate children's intelligence, such as those connected to
logic, mathematics, language, music, kinetics as well as visual
and interpersonal communications skills. It also has a mini zoo
that has small animals, like rabbits, hens, tortoises and fish to
develop the pupils' intelligence in relation to their environment
and to nature. Also available is a mini museum with five items of
equipment: Thunder Ball, Jacob's Ladder, Hand Generator, Insect
Sound and Hatchery.

Starting a business related to children's education, as
admitted by most of the owners and managers, is indeed quite
costly. An investment of at least Rp 300 million is required to
set up one branch, excluding the games equipment and toys, which
are mostly imported. At Gymboree more than 40 items of such
equipment are available. Teacher salaries are quite high and
match international standards, while some schools provide them
with cars and accommodation.

It is not too surprising, therefore, that the enrollment and
monthly fees of these playgroups are equal, if not higher, than
those for schools of older children. Some even charge Rp 1
million for the registration fee and about Rp 5 million for a
three-month course, while High Scope, for example, charges even
more.

At such rates, it is obvious only the upper class can afford
to enroll their children at these playgroups. Tika Bisono has an
idealistic hope that one day soon these institutions will also
open their doors to non-governmental organizations or volunteer
groups with a kind of cross-subsidy to cover their expenses so
that even less privileged children can also receive the early
education they deserve.

In the meantime, as long as upper-class parents are occupied
with their careers while at the same time wanting their children
to develop better and be smarter, there is plenty of opportunity
in this business.