Are Private Schools in India Ready for Unprecedented Disruption?

Dear School Owners, Principals, CEOs, Heads of Schools, Educationists, Parents and EdTech Founders,

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With over 20 years of experience as a CEO in the education sector, having been instrumental in setting up over a 100 K12 schools across the CBSE, Cambridge and IB spectrum , conceptualising the first independent micro school in India and as someone deeply invested in the making the world a better place through education, I've witnessed the evolving landscape of private schools. Today, I delve into a crucial discussion about the unprecedented disruptions facing our education system.

School managements invest crores of rupees to establish 'not-for-profit' K12 schools. The truth is, most private schools in India rank among the top profiteering businesses in the country.

Let me clarify—I'm not against this reality. Without returns on investments ranging from 10-50 crores, we risk having only a handful of quality private schools in our nation. However, the pivotal question remains: does it make sense to invest millions in a conventional school building in an ever-evolving landscape??

In the upcoming series of articles, Let us will explore this question from various angles—addressing the challenges faced by education companies and NFP’s, learners, educators, policymakers, and parents, subsidiary service providers alike.

Will we be able to do justice to the funds invested? What about the gifted learners caught in the midst of the AI revolution and the mental health pandemic? How do we support educationists, many of whom are analogue natives in a digital world?Amidst all this, parents dedicate close to 30% of their income to their children's education at the expense of their own needs.

How do we create a win-win for all?

The once sought-after mechanical and civil engineering programs now see few takers. Institutions heavily invested in infrastructure for these programs are struggling to transition to computing and technology-based offerings—the current 'trend'. 'Trend' is the key word here. Schools will soon face a similar challenge, where world-class infrastructure alone will not suffice. Are we 'trendy' enough?

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With the introduction of NEP and NCRF for schools, an increase in one-room schools, microschools, home schoolers, and alternative education philosophies, a discernible pattern is emerging. Let's engage in a dialogue about this pattern, rather than turning a blind eye.

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During the crisis in the Indian EdTech sector post-pandemic, many school owners and educationists remarked, 'This was bound to happen! Tech can't replace us.' It's true, tech cannot replace schools, but tech-enabled schools will undoubtedly replace those that fail to adapt to this new revolution. The EdTech sector is now gearing up for global growth once more.

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From 15,000 home schoolers in 2017, as reported by the Bangalore Mirror Bureau, to 300,000 students in 2022, the exponential growth is a testament. A recent Zipdo study revealed that 47% of families in the US were considering 'alternative education', and the sector has seen a 29% year-on-year growth post-pandemic. We are witnessing similar trends in India.

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Every week, we will explore this challenge and the opportunities it presents from perspective of different stake holders in the ecosystem. I invite you to join this conversation, share your insights, challenges, and ideas in the comments below.