With the increasing conscious drive for education today, parents strive for a better early childhood education foundation for their toddlers. While this demand has created the need for an education model that effectively enriches the early childhood education landscape, preschools like Makoons are proficiently equipping it as a vital contributor to shaping the educational foundation of the nation’s youngest learners. Established not long ago, this eight-year-old preschool brand is a renowned name in the preschool set-up now, with 300+ centers across India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Makoons aims to offer a universally applicable educational experience across India, blending traditional teaching methods like reading and writing with modern techniques such as augmented reality and talking pens, and a focus on vocabulary and communication skills. Vijay Kumar Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Makoons Group of Schools states, “We focus on children aged two to six in the preschool sector, with programs for Toddler, Playgroup, Nursery, Junior KG, and Senior KG. Our specially designed curriculum, ACMES, addresses five key developmental areas, namely aesthetic, cognitive, motor, emotional and social development of a child. Additionally, our augmented reality tool ‘Imacle’ enhances visual learning, catering to children’s unique needs”.

The brand has a clear & defined recruitment process for preschool educators, requiring three years of experience and offering training programs. Teachers undergo a five-day mandatory training to familiarize themselves with the curriculum and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Also, the teachers sign an agreement on child abuse, emphasizing that even yelling is unacceptable. Any deviation from SOPs is acted upon seriously as the brand doesn’t compromise on its quality and offerings. Vijay shared, “Our goal is to help children become good human beings, hence we

emphasize respect by referring to support staff as ‘didi’ by them and even franchises do so”.

Makoons is distinguished by five key factors. Its USPs include the ‘five-tier security system’ which ensures that anyone attempting to access a child inside the school must pass through five different security checks. Second, is the ‘child-friendly infrastructure’ wherein they prioritize a completely child-friendly environment that includes child-friendly washrooms. Third, is the “well-trained educators” as all their staff and supporting personnel are fully trained and prepared to handle various situations. Then, inclusion of an ‘international standard curriculum’ that meets international standards.

Makoons aims to offer a universally applicable educational experience across India, blending traditional teaching methods like reading and writing with modern techniques such as augmented reality and talking pens

Makoons offers extracurricular activities through partnerships with international brands in New York and Washington, D.C., as well as affiliations with Trinity College London and Scope Washington. Lastly, Makoons emphasizes on Parental Engagement through seminars, one-on-one interactions, and a monthly Parent-Teacher Interaction Forum (PTI), which is a crucial factor. CCTV monitoring of its facility and trackable transport services further enhance safety & transparency of a child, contributing to high parental satisfaction.

Vijay mentioned, “In addition to our curriculum and teaching methods, we take great care when selecting our business partners, primarily school owners. Almost 95 percent of our partners come from the education sector, with a significant number being women. We do not appoint just anyone as a partner. Our selection process is thorough, ensuring we align with individuals who have a genuine interest in giving back to the society”.

Growth & Future

In eight years, the school has accumulated nearly 36 different awards at various levels, including both government and private entity recognitions, wherein ‘Best Preschool for Innovation & Value based Learning’ from Assocham in Bhubaneswar, presented by the Minister of Education, Odisha marks the latest.

“As for future plans, Makoons has entered the southern market and is expanding its presence there. Last year, we opened six formal schools and are now integrating our offerings under the name Makoons World School, aiming for 600+ preschools and 50 formal schools in the next five years. However, our main focus is on children’s upbringing and development, prioritizing their socio emotional growth over business concerns”, concludes Vijay.