Even while stating that technology has come to play a vital role in the education space, Mr Anil Goyal, Director (Strategy and Business Development), Mexus Education, admits to the low adoption of ICT tools in the education sector in the country.

Mr Goyal says that the focus should not be restricted to academics alone but on juggling resources and developing the capacity in terms of technology.

Mexus Education, an education venture of the Bilakhia Group has been hosting Iken Scientifica – a science competition, giving students across the country a chance to rediscover science and redefine their approach towards learning and understanding. “Deviating from the norm of learning application after concepts, Iken Braingym inculcates learning of concepts through understanding its applications,” Mr Goyal told Business Line.

Excerpts from an interview:

How do you foresee the 2012 outlook on the K-12 education segment and the role of technology in the education sector?

The prosperity of the private sector in India coupled with the increase in the purchasing power of the average Indian family, we are seeing more and more people (parents) showing a preference for private education for their children, a trend which is expected to continue over 2012.

According to the 2011 KPMG report on the education Sector in India the K-12 segment would grow to $34 billion in 2012. The growing recognition of Indian education on the global front is expected to drive more foreign collaborations and rapid growth of international institutions and companies catering to the need of K-12 education. More schools are expected to adopt hybrid teaching methods to improve the effectiveness of teaching and to increase the focus on delivery of quality through adoption of technology. Also, portability of educational aids and mobility of learning techniques would be enhanced by technology in the K-12 segment.

However, the major challenges that are expected to continue through 2012 are low gross enrolment ratio (GER) and high dropout rates as well as low penetration of technology and multimedia content in government aided schools.

How do you envision the role of the Government in the education sector?

With an annual government spend of $30 billion and private spend of $43.2 billion, education is one of the largest capitalised sectors in India (The Marketing Whitebook).

The sector is undergoing rapid transformation with increasing support for private participation. The Government, cannot but do without taking initiatives to enhance the quality of education, develop skills to orient students and adjust with ever-evolving skills sets.

However, the deep digital divide in education system and resource constraints limits the initiatives that governments can undertake. Inviting sophisticated forms of private involvement in education through PPPs (Public Private Participations) initiatives such as capacity building initiatives, educational services from private schools considering that a large number of schools run on Government grants are unable to opt for digitisation because of resource constraints, provision for infrastructure – which can be achieved with the government providing the basic facilities like classroom infrastructure, electricity etc. and the private sector managing and upgrading the schools.

Strategies undertaken by Mexus Education for promoting ICT-enabled digital content for K-12 education in India?

With the growing expectations of parents and students, the deliverable and role of schools have undergone a complete turnaround. The focus is not only on academics but also on juggling resources and developing the capacity in terms of technology.

We are trying to introduce global connectivity through digitisation whereby Iken schools will be connected to reputed global schools. The idea is to encourage sharing of ideas and information.

Mexus has also been connecting with schools in Tier III cities through Eduvate, a platform which brings together academicians for a discussion on the sector and possibilities to improve the standards of education. Pooling in inputs from academicians, educators and principals to customise the content in accordance with the teaching style and comfort zone, pre- designing the lesson plans, building video conferencing and online connectivity in the classrooms are a few features planned for integration this year.

Mexus is also planning to introduce complete support for Pre-school set up within the Iken schools.

Overview of K – 12 segment in the education industry?

There is a growing need for skilled and educated workers in the country. But due to failure of Indian education system to provide high quality education and growing willingness amongst the middle class to spend more, has transformed Indian education sector into an attractive and fast-emerging market.

The Indian Education Sector, as reviewed in CLSA Report on Indian education, is valued at $ 40 billion, of which, the market for K-12 sector is valued at $20 billion.

The market is still nascent with the largest spend being school fee and the second largest expenditure being tuitions. With educational reforms, better career avenues and innovation, this market can be developed into an experiential market. Technology can be integrated into the learning process to make it more interesting, enjoyable and personal.

Educational reforms in the traditional system of education are a must to drive research, development and innovation.

What in your view are the major challenges for the school administration, parents and students at this juncture?

One of the major challenges towards adoption of technology in the education sector is the mindset of teachers – a major roadblock in adaptability. Majority of the teachers have been moulded in chalk-and-talk instruction approach and usually perceive technology as a means to replace them.

Another challenge is government regulations as they put a cap on the pricing structure of the school and the ICT development proposals. Public schools are less resilient to considering the education solutions as the IT infrastructure to these schools are provided by the government.

Price sensitivity is also seen as a barrier for mass adoption of ICT in the K-12 education segment as most parents do not have the knowledge or understand the value addition of the product. There is keen price sensitivity in the market.

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