Zee smart schools set for launch

Zee Interactive Learning Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zee Telefilms, has firmed up its plans to provide 'smart' schooling in Kolkata.

Run on the franchisee model, ZILS plans to set up as many as four high schools in Kolkata, affiliated to the CBSE board, with syllabus structured as per the guidelines of National Council for Educational Research & Training.

"We want to establish school as a fun concept so that children love going to schools. We therefore would encourage children to participate in various fun activities inside the school campus within school hours itself," said Sandeep Das, assistant vice-president, ZILS.

Branded Kidzee High, ZILS plans to start its first two high schools in Kolkata at Joka and Tollygunge by July-end.

There would be close to 1260 students per school.

ZILS is also scouting for trustees and franchisees to set up two more high schools in Rajarhat and Howrah by the next academic year.

ZILS would also set up four Kidzcare centres in Kolkata in one year, in an attempt to address the baby-sitting segment with the rise in two-earning-member families, with the first Kidzcare centre in eastern India launched in Salt Lake on July 22, said Arun Khetan, CEO of ZILS.

"Due to non-availability of proper childcare programs and the potential business opportunity it offers, ZILS feels it could cash in on the concept of franchised childcare centres, Kidzcare, to assure a qualitative program that would look after the children of working parents and enhance the overall development of the child thereby ensuring parents a stress-free time at work or while parents are shopping or pursuing an occupation from home," Khetan said.

In eastern India, ZILS was also looking at setting up Kidzee High in Jamshedpur and Assam by next year.

"The high schools in Kolkata would be at least 4 acres and would house animation academy and sports school, in addition to other activities. For schools outside Kolkata, we would be looking at more than 6 acres to house swimming pool, horse riding track, among other facilities," Das added.

Initially, the high schools in Kolkata would have till class IV. The schools are expected to start classes up to class X in another four years by which it would also get the CBSE affiliation.

Investment from ZILS would be limited to developing course materials, development of human resource and maintaining uniform quality across the network.

While franchisee would have to invest Rs 350,000 to 2 lakh (Rs 1.2 million), depending upon the scale of operation, the tuition fee for high schools would vary between Rs 11,000-18,000 depending upon region. Zee would work on 20 per cent commission of the fee. 

In India, ZILS plans a total of 250 Kidzee High schools by 2011 from 25 right now.

Kidzcare, on an average, would be able to accommodate 35 children in the age group of 6 months to 12 years while fees would vary between Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per month per child depending on the number of hours the child would be left at the centre.

Going forward, the centre would also introduce night-stay facility for children.

ZILS also plans to set up close to 50 Kidzee centres in Kolkata from 19 right now that would offer pre-school training to children between one and a half years to 5 years of age.