Pearson expands footprint

Pearson, the British-based education and education technology company, which recently picked up a stake worth $30 million (around Rs 150 crore) in Educomp Solutions’ vocational business and online tutoring firm, TutorVista, is leveraging these tie-ups to increase its India footprint.

As part of this expansion, Pearson will train 500 bus drivers and conductors of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Along with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the company will impart training based on soft skills, basic English language and skill-sensitisation to DTC drivers and conductors for three months.

“The contract for the actual provision of training has been awarded to our joint venture (JV) partner, Educomp Solutions. We will teach soft skills like courtesy and communication, besides the history of Delhi, to the drivers and conductors,” said Khozem Merchant, Deputy Chairman, Pearson India. Pearson had acquired a 50 per cent stake in Educomp’s existing vocational training business for $17.5 million (around Rs 85 crore).

Pearson has also launched the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), its new computer-based academic test of English language proficiency. The test, available to takers from October, measures the English language skills of non-native English speakers.

The company has its own five centres where the test will take place, besides 10 other centres with each having a capacity of housing around 20 students. “We will provide students with the test preparation material. The number of centres might increase depending on the number of test takers,” added Merchant.

The test will take place in three hours in a single sitting and its results will be out in five days, according to the company. Pearson says that it has more developments lined up in the areas of K-12, online testing and new forms of grading, among others.