Backed by the changing demography which affirms the parent’s concern over quality preprimary foundation, created a ready need for more preschool setups within their locality. Knowing that these formative years of learning demand immense care, preschool brands like Makoons have buckled up to proffer a child’s first learning platform to provide a strong foundation ground for young minds. On the flip side, having been an experienced education provider in the preschool business, it began to expand its educational reforms through franchise models across the city shores and beyond. Gradually, the preschool units under Makoons substantially grew in numbers and within nine years, it covered three countries, 16 states and 75 cities with 300+ centers, making it the fastest-growing preschool pan India.

Facilitating Holistic Development
Makoons has developed a special curriculum called ACMES which focuses on five key developmental areas, which are aesthetic, cognitive, motor, emotional, and social development. The curriculum is designed to prepare children for future challenges and can be applied to diverse regions from metropolitan cities to tier V and tier VI towns.

The school has a strict hiring process that requires all teachers to have at least three years of experience and certification in early childhood education. Before implementing the curriculum, the teachers from all the centers undergo a ten-day training program that equips them with the skills and knowledge necessary to maintain the highest standards of education. They attend various specialized training sessions led by experts from the Makoons’ head office. They also receive training to manage challenging situations such as dealing with a grumpy child without yelling at them.

ACMES also incorporates parents as partners in the learning journey. Since children spend only two to three hours a day at school and a significant amount of time at home, parents are crucial in helping their children continue the learning process at home. The school provides parents with guidance, tools, and app-based resources to guarantee consistency in learning and bridging the gap between school and home.

Keeping in mind the evolving needs of the children, Makoons has incorporated various technologies to improve the learning experience. “This has been made possible through an app-based curriculum which also facilitates learning at home under the guidance of the parents if they miss a school. Our Augmented Reality tool, Imacle, enables a ‘seeing is believing’ approach, allowing children to learn through dynamic visuals”, informs Vijay Kumar Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Makoons Group of Schools.

The school also uses innovations such as a talking pen which helps to improve pronunciation keeping in mind the regional variations in accent. The school offers various extracurricular activities to aid the social and emotional development of children, through partnerships with international brands in New York and Washington, D.C., as well as affiliations with Trinity College London and Scope Washington. This includes celebrating occasions with grandparents, parents, peer groups, and alumni.

We are rapidly expanding in Bangalore, with plans to open eight more centers in the coming months

Secure Learning Environment
Since Makoons caters to the needs of children aged 1.8 to 4.5 years, it fosters child-friendly and safe infrastructure which is akin to a second home. It has a safe learning environment with a robust five-tier security system in place. CCTV monitoring of its facility and trackable transport services further enhance the safety and transparency of a child, contributing to high parental satisfaction. Special attention is paid to the design to avoid sharp edges and ladders.

The plain walls can be decorated with changeable boards featuring different themes, colors, letters, and numbers each month, instead of having fixed caricatures or characters. Apart from this, the outdoor play area offers ample opportunities to explore and learn. In areas with extreme weather conditions, the schools have spacious activity rooms with artificial grass and indoor games equipment.

In Bangalore, Makoons face unique challenges due to the city’s cosmopolitan nature and the high number of working parents in nuclear families. To address this, it has designed a comprehensive curriculum for children who spend up to 8-9 hours a day at the preschool. This curriculum is activity-based, ensuring that children are engaged and not bored or exhausted. Parents are actively involved through live CCTV monitoring and an app that provides real-time updates on their child’s activities. Makoons’ approach combines early childhood care with daycare services, offering a holistic experience that caters to the needs of modern families.

Accolades & Way Ahead
In the last nine years, Makoons has received 43 awards including 13 in 2024, such as the ISA award, SHM brand of the year, and accolades such as Most Trusted Preschool Chain of the Year’, ‘the Most Trusted Preschool of Delhi NCR’, ‘Most Trusted Preschool of Bangalore’, and ‘Best Preschool Chain of the Year’.

The school has recently expanded its footprint in the southern states of India including Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Over the course of the next two years, it wants to focus on other southern and northeastern regions of the country. Apart from this, Makoons has also ventured into formal schooling under the name Makoons World School. “Our aim is to target 200+ centers and 30 primary and secondary schools in the southern and northeastern states. We want to be a leading player in quality education and community development in the country”, concludes Vijay.