FAISALABAD: As manufacturing units of the country are struggling under the prevailing energy crisis and law and order situation, the education sector has emerged as an attractive business opportunity for the private sector to earn a livelihood.
Faisal Thakur, Rasikh Thakur and Liaqat Warraich are three friends that introduced The Right School in 2012 and are doing good business in Pakistan and abroad. Before venturing into this market, they gained experience in school management for 10 years through working at various recognised institutes in the country.
After opening their initial branch in Lahore, The Right School – with over 10,000 registered students in two years – has introduced branches in other cities of Pakistan. In a span of three years, they have opened more than 60 branches in Pakistan, four in Middle East and two in South Africa.
“The success of this venture is due to creative ideas and a better business strategy,” said Saeed Feroz, Director of The Right School while talking to The Express Tribune.
In 2013, after establishing the chain, they opened three schools in Shangla and Mansehra in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Feroz said they are now targeting Sindh as part of their plan. In 2013, The Right School signed an agreement with the Libyan Education Ministry to follow rules and regulations to operate the school in Arabic. It was the first Pakistani-owned school in Libya. In 2014, they established two campuses in Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa.
The school has offered the franchise to other businessmen having experience in the sector. The management added that they are offering training sessions, infrastructure requirements, classroom designs, colour schemes and teacher’s training programmes as well.
The school is charging up to Rs700,000 first-time franchise fee and is demanding a 7% share of student fee. “The deteriorating quality of education in the public sector became one of the core reasons for our success,” said CEO Faisal Thakur. “The school mainly targets children of the business community, government officials and corporate employees.”
A new concept in personal development
Introduction of new syllabi like Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) has given The Right School an innovative edge over competitors, according to the CEO.
“We have divided the PSED syllabus into three categories: The first starts from the initial stage after admission, relating to personal development of the student,” said Thakur. “The second phase is social development, which starts after completing primary education and the third is emotional development, which begins after the middle class.”
Thakur added that the PSED brings a positive change in a student in terms of confidence, while keeping a balance in current matters.
“There are many countries where overseas Pakistanis live in large numbers but they do not have a school that offers good education coupled with cultural awareness,” he said. The school is currently operating in Libya, Tunis, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa and is targeting Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand and the UK next.
The writer is a staff correspondent.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2014.
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What will be done to educate the countries poor who cannot afford high tuition fees, do they not deserve quality education also?
With the failure of the government in this vital sector.......the void obviously will be filled by others.