Selecting a school for their child has always been a perplexing and time consuming task for every parent, more so for those who are going through the process for the first time. The selection of an ideal beginners’ school, which has now many names, i.e. play group, play school, early childhood learning centre, etc., has now become a Herculean task for many concerned parents who want their children to build a solid foundation for their educational future.

Over the past few years the popularity of modern designer schools has seen an unprecedented boom as parents look for kindergarten schools that will provide an unconventional and holistic learning environment under the supervision of well-trained teachers and auxiliary staff. Even parents who complain about the skyrocketing cost of education are willing to bear the hefty cost of sending their kid to one of these designer schools; not just so that the child can avail the best in terms of quality learning but also so that they can proudly exhibit the name of that school in their own respective social group. However, it’s ironic to see that nowadays a school’s quality of education is estimated according to the level of fees it demands and the address where it is located.

Considering the exceptionally high rate of inflation and constricted economic status of the society today, the increase in the demand of designer schools is not just confusing but alarming as well.

Commenting on the situation, Anjia Akber, a teacher herself and a mother of two kids, said, “It’s nothing but a status symbol nowadays as parents want to flaunt the name of their kids’ school in family gatherings and events in order to gratify their social and psychological egos”. It has been observed that the type and standard of school a kid attends often has an impact on the lifestyle of the parents, who become more conscious and aware of the nitty-gritty of modern age; in many instances this makes them more style and tech savvy.

An important aspect in the rapid popularity and acceptance of designer schools is the level of education of parents which is generally higher and they are aware of the requirements of the modern education system. Nauman Nandwani, a banker by profession, is the father of a six-year-old son who studies at one such school. He claims that he selected the school because he admired the way the teachers inculcate the habit of reading, writing, thinking, research and articulation of concepts in kids from a very young age.

Sana, a housewife and mother of a seven-year-old girl says that “the size of the campus and number of classes in one campus is an important consideration. A school with separate physical locations catering to different grade levels enables the students to learn and grow in a healthy and less crowded environment”.

There is no doubt that these schools are well equipped with properly trained teachers who effectively use internationally accepted modern teaching methodologies. However, the monthly fee and the annual cost charged by modern designer schools is many times higher than what it is in an ordinary school. This is the reason that many parents who wish to send their kid to a designer school have to take financial loans.

Education and learning is a fundamental requirement for any society, but its core purpose should be to help the child/learner find his/her vocation in life which can later help in bringing a collective, positive social change. As a nation in transition, how far can these modern schools take us? This is something that only time will tell.