A civic representative sample comprising 460 SEC A preschool parents, principals and teachers have voted the previously unranked Indus Early Learning Centre, Jubilee Hills the city’s most admired preschool generating shock waves The southern city of Hyderabad (pop 6.8 million), whose accelerating emergence as a premier academic and IT (information technology) hub has been slowed by the prolonged Telangana statehood agitation and political instability, has experienced a shock wave in the EducationWorld India Preschool Rankings this year. Eighteen months after it admitted its first batch of 30 children in the age group two-five years, the Indus Early Learning Centre, Jubilee Hills (IELC) has been voted the city’s most admired preschool by a civic representative sample comprising 460 SEC A preschool parents and principals/teachers polled by the Delhi-based C fore. Promoted by the Bangalore-based Indus Trust, which owns and manages the premier Indus International School (IIS) in Bangalore (ranked India’s No. 1 international school in the Education-World India School Rankings 2012) and affiliated IIS class I-XII schools in Hyderabad and Pune, IELC has been ranked first on the parameters of teacher competence, infrastructure provision, innovative teaching, and leadership quality. “We are delighted that the parent and teacher communities of Hyderabad have ranked IELC No. 1 in Hyderabad so soon after the school’s promotion. It’s an acknowledgement of the tremendous effort put in by the management and teachers to get this school off to a great start by setting international benchmarks for provision of early childhood education. The unique feature of IELC is the special attention we pay to leadership training from the infant years. Our specially prepared curriculum for pre-primary children focuses on developing the inherent communication skills, reflection, and community service aptitudes of children through joyful experiential learning,” says Nuwaira Pasha, an alumna of Bangalore University with a Qualified Teacher Status diploma in primary education from Surrey, UK, who heads IELC, Jubilee Hills as well as the primary school of Indus International, Hyderabad. Currently, 15 teachers mentor 60 students who pay stiff tuition fees ranging between Rs.98,000-1.5 lakh per year. With IELC parachuting into the premier position on top table, there’s been a major rearrangement of the 2011 league table. EuroKids, Banjara Hills has been dislodged to be ranked No. 3 while Globe Toters, Jubilee Hills has retained its No. 2 slot which it now shares with Kangaroo Kids, Banjara Hills which has risen in public esteem to vault to No. 2 this year (10 in 2011). The Top 5 is completed by Blue Blocks ranked No. 4 (5) and Kinder Kare which has been promoted to No. 5 (13) in the 2012 league table. Both these preschools are sited in the fast developing elite suburb of Gachibowli — the hub of top-notch IT companies including Microsoft, Accenture and Wipro, as well as home to the premier Indian School of Business. “Last year’s No. 13 rank was disappointing and inaccurate given that Kinder Kare is Hyderabad’s pioneer new era preschool offering excellent daycare facilities as well as world-class preschool education…
