Essel Group bullish on Kidzee

Subhash Chandra-controlled Essel Group’s education arm, Zee Learn, is expanding its network of pre-school chain Kidzee in Uttar Pradesh. The company is planning to add 50 more Kidzees to its current tally of over 100 in two years.

Zee Learn runs Kidzee; higher secondary Mount Litera Zee Schools (MLZS); and Braincafe, an activity-based learning programme, in India, mostly under franchisee arrangement.

“UP is an important state, and we have witnessed growth not only in urban centres, but also in smaller centres as well,” said Vivek Bahnot, Kidzee and MLZS national head, to Business Standard.

It will open 10 more MLZS in UP, where there are already 25 such branches in operation at present, Bahnot said.

“The demand for Kidzee is high in smaller centres. To cater the demand, we will open 25-30 per cent of our new Kidzee centres in semi-urban areas,” Bahnot added.

The privately-run organised pre-school segment in India is growing roughly at 30 per cent and has almost 4,000 institutions across different entities.

Zee Learn has categorised cities/towns in 11 tiers, based on various parameters for opening new branches and for ascertaining the fee structure.

Meanwhile, the company launched its ‘Torch of Learning’ initiative in Lucknow, wherein a demo classroom is created inside a bus to showcase teaching methodology and pedagogy adopted by MLZS. The bus would travel across 39 cities in the country.

Zee Learn is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) as well as on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).