Varkey group plans 100 schools in India and many more across the world

The Economic Times (August 25, 2004) reports,

After taking Britain’s education market by storm with ambitious plans to build or manage 200 schools in the next five years, the Dubai-based Varkey Group’s Global Education Management Systems (GEMS) is heading back home, to India. Sunny Varkey, the Indian chairman of the Varkey Group, plans to have 100 schools in India under the GEMS banner in the next few years. “We are now looking at establishing a network of GEMS schools in both India and the United States and are speaking with a number of individuals and organisations who would like GEMS to manage schools in India,” says Mr Varkey. The group is also in talks with potential partners in countries including some in Latin America, Europe and China. “The opportunity for private education exists everywhere in the world,” says Mr Varkey, who claims that the group is probably among the largest education companies in the world.

GEMS has already begun to make inroads into India with agreements to manage a premium school in Noida; another in Peddapuram, Andhra Pradesh; and a girl’s school in Jalandhar. This apart, it is building two schools (in Gurgaon and Bangalore) as reference sites to showcase GEMS education, practice and quality assurance programmes.

The group has also been approached by the Delhi government to develop a quality framework for publicly-funded schools. Considering the huge global shortage of teachers, a teacher training college in India is also on the cards. “We are speaking to the University of London to work in association with us on this project,” says Mr Varkey.

I haven't been able to find any information on their schools in either Noida, Peddapuram or Jalandhar or their work for the Delhi Government.

Initially, GEMS schools will focus on the premium end of the market as “India has entered a new era of economic growth, and with that comes an increased need for providing world class, international education, within the country,” says Mr Varkey. However, it will develop schools targeted at the middle-income segment in the second phase.

Most other groups too have entered the field of education (DPS, Reliance, Birlas and others) by targeting the premium end of the market. The Tatas are the only ones looking to target the middle-income segment by providing quality education at an affordable price.

To develop GEMS in India, the group has put together a team of professionals including John Mason, former head of the Doon School; and RC Bhargava, former MD of Maruti Udyog. “Like we’ve done in the Middle East, we are looking at a long-term commitment to developing quality education in various parts of India,” says Mr Varkey.

A news report (dated September 10, 2003) says GEMS opened an office in Pune in India.

As part of its international expansion plans, Global Education Management Systems GEMS, a member of the Varkey Group, has expanded its management team by hiring John Marshall as Business Development Manager and John Mason as Head of Asian Schools-South Asia and Middle East. Earlier this year, GEMS launched its UK and European operations with the opening of a London office and augmented its activities in India with a new office in Pune.

Another article in The Economic Times (September 24, 2004) has more.

Where [Ray] Kroc [founder of McDonald's] saw assembly lines of hamburgers, Varkey sees a network of hundreds, and eventually thousands, of schools criss-crossing the continents — from the Americas to Afghanistan, Britain to India and China. In the next 20-25 years, he’s targeting over 5,000 Varkey group schools.

“I believe the opportunity for private education exists everywhere in the world. Parents and students are looking for alternatives to publicly-funded education... there is tremendous scope,” says Varkey, speaking from his suite at the Dorchester Hotel in London. “We are primarily interested in managing schools. We will follow a franchising model, but we’d like to manage it (the schools) as we’ve built a lot of goodwill over the years.”

The Varkey education empire, to which over 80% of the group’s business is dedicated, began in the early 1980s when Sunny took over management of his parent’s Our Own English High School in Dubai. At the time, the school had 720 students and 27 teachers. Today, he oversees a growing network of 35 international schools employing over 4,000 professionals and providing education to more than 45,000 students. The Varkey group is one of the largest non-national business groups in the United Arab Emirates.

Following the hotel industry model, GEMS schools will be categorised literally as three, four, or five-star. “We have developed school models that are designed to deliver quality education combined with facilities and fee structures to meet the requirements of any community,” says Varkey. The schools all provide the same standard of quality, differing only in the levels of facilities offered.

Another hallmark of GEMS’ education will be its emphasis on communication and interaction between school and home. In the UK, for instance, parents will not only get weekly or fortnightly e-mail on their children’s progress but breakfast clubs and after-school activities will match parents’ schedules with their child’s.

Varkey has perceived the school education opportunity well and seems to be systematically going about setting the foundation for his company to exploit the opportunity. The credibility and experience they have gained by running the chain of schools in Dubai mean that they are a serious player and not someone who is jumping in without a clue. While there are global majors in other infrastructure sectors, it is surprising that there are none yet in the Education sector. Varkey seems to be the first player to set his sights on the global market and is already one of the biggest education companies in the world.

This raises another interesting question. School education in particular needs to be rooted in the local cultural and social milieu. Is the inability to appreciate the local educational requirements of other countries one of the reasons for American education companies like Edison Schools (set up as far back as 1992) failing to expand beyond the U.S. and U.K. (Edison Schools UK was set up in 2002)? By the same argument, does the Varkey Group's background - a group managed by an ethnic Indian, running schools delivering curriculum from US, UK, Europe, India and the GCC, to students of multiple nationalities (expats) living in Dubai - give the Varkey Group an edge in expanding globally by virtue of their ability to appreciate multicultural local issues better?

A previous post had described Varkey Group's expansion into the UK, where they have opted to enter the middle segment of the market by providing affordable (£6,000 a year) school education on par with the costs of education in public schools and far below the costs in other private schools.

Other links to Varkey Group sites include their global web site - their global web site, their UK web site and the Varkey Group web site.

Comments

[Lt Col ( Retd ) Iqbal Singh]

Dear Sir/Madam,

I want to be associate of your education system by opening a school near Chandigarh on my 15 Acres of land to provide quality and job oriented education to masses around. More details can be forwarded on hearing from you
Thanks,
Iqbal

[Manju Suri]

Dear Sir,
We are constructing a school in manesar Gurgaon.
We wish to awail of your expertise. Please contact me.

[Rahul Gupta]

Dear Sir,

I am a professional working in a Export House as the International Marketing Head for the companies products. I am 30 and for long I have been planning to start a business of my own.

I have recently (for the last 1 year ) been analyzing the scope of starting a EDUCATION CENTRE. Not necessarily a school, however a specialist institute whereby we can serve certain existing industries e.g Retail, BPO etc.

It may be a complete school in itself offering certain degree and diploma courses or it may be a Secondary / High school or it may be a Finishing School.

I have the will to work and also the potential to invest.

Please advise / suggest regarding options I have. You may also look upon me a interested partner for growing your chain of schools in Delhi

[R.S.Ray]

hi im a student of delhi institute of pharmaceutical science and research. sir i wish to actively participate in any of ur known scholarship programmmes. sir i am currently in my final year B.Pharm. sir i want financial help from any of recognised schemes for my postgraduate programmes. sir could u plz help me. please give reply as early as possible.

yours faithfully
R.S.Ray
B.Pharm final year student.

[Joseph]

Dear Sir,

I am looking forward to opening a school in Punjab, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

I am interested in being an associate of your group as I am very clear of the quality eductaion which you provide to the student community.

Thanks

Joseph

[sanjeev kumar]

Dear Sir,
We are the real estate consultant based in NEW DELHI
in India.
We deal mostly into corporate requirements.
If you are planning to open the schools we will definitely provide you the best of all locations land for sale in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, & all over India.
We can provide you many options for
-Bare shell premises.
-Built to suit as per your requirement.
-Fully Furnished with plug in & play options.
-Lease / purchase options.
The properties proposed to you will be of world class quality with
excellent infrastructure.
care@realanchors.com
Phone :zero-nine-eight-one-eight-three-zero-seven-seven-nine-eight
Regards,
Sanjeev Kumar

[Capt. (Mrs.) Guppaji Nagra Brar]

Dear Sir / Madam,
We are already a member of the GEMS family, our children presently studying in Dubai Modern High School. Having first hand experience of the supreme quality of education imparted, we would like to extend the same to our hometown - Chandigarh. Our family owns two farms:
(a) 14 acres on the G.T. Road, near the Shambhu toll barrier on the Ambala - Rajpura stretch.
(b) 7-1/2 acres near the Chatbir zoo, on the Zirakpur - Patiala road.

Please advise us how best we can proceed with this venture, and what nature of project report is required by your office.

Thanking you,
with regards,

Capt.(Mrs.) Guppaji Nagra Brar
01 September, 2006

[Capt. (Mrs.) Guppaji Nagra Brar]

Dear Sir / Madam,
We are already a member of the GEMS family, our children presently studying in Dubai Modern High School. Having first hand experience of the supreme quality of education imparted, we would like to extend the same to our hometown - Chandigarh. Our family owns two farms:
(a) 14 acres on the G.T. Road, near the Shambhu toll barrier on the Ambala - Rajpura stretch.
(b) 7-1/2 acres near the Chatbir zoo, on the Zirakpur - Patiala road.

Please advise us how best we can proceed with this venture, and what nature of project report is required by your office.

Thanking you,
with regards,

Capt.(Mrs.) Guppaji Nagra Brar
01 September, 2006

[kapil dhaka]

sir
i am a 3 year student of dept of electronics iit kharagpur enrolled for a dual degree programme and i want my career in education dept wether working in some big organization or having a small company of my own . i can invest a total of 1 crore indian rupees at present and i hope that in umergency i could borrow more please give me some advice how to start ..????
please email me as soon as possible

[sanu zak]

Dear sir,
I have read your article about opening 100 schools in India. Also to include i was an ex-student of ouw own english high scholl and currently am working as a business analyst in BPO .
Also am doing side businesses with a friend of mine in buying and selling lands and flats. Certainly i do have plans to start up a business relating to education and moreover the technology has improved so rapidly that am thinking of looking for partners to start up in bangalore.
If you could get in touch with me i have my above email address mentioned.
Kindly advise as to how we can proceed with it.
Thanks ,
Sanu Zachariah

[deep kothari]

Dear sir,
We are running CBSE schools in Southern Part of Rajasthan(BANSWARA, SAGWARA, PRATAPUR, GALIYKOT) by Name of NEW LOOK CENTRAL SCHOOL with studnets roll 4000 from last 30 years . Lots of our students are working in gulf countries like Kuwait , Oman, Bahrain ,Dubai etc.(Due to huge number of Bohara populations over here ) .I would like to send you the full presentation along with school details.
Our school website will also be availabe from 1st Oct.
Kindly send the address & exact detail which you are looking at.

Deep kothari
New look Central school
Kothari haweli
Banswara(Raj)-327001
Ph-(91- 9414101489)

[kasturi sunkara]

sir
i am interested in starting a school in hyderabad-(AP)
pl advise me how to go about it.i would very much like to be part of your project of 100 schools in india
kasturi

[kasturi sunkara]

sir
i am interested in starting a school in hyderabad-(AP)
pl advise me how to go about it.i would very much like to be part of your project of 100 schools in india
kasturi

[Neha Wangneo]

Hi i just read your post..i am interested in starting a school essentially a pre skool for children around Noida and greater noida..i am an MBA by profession and am currently employed with an MNC..i am enthusiastic about education and deeply feel for this cause..kindly get in touch with me on th above mail id.

Regards
Neha

[shankary]

resume

[shankary]

sir,

Iam Looking For a change in my job.

[rajkumar isaac]

it is great . I strongly hope the almighty lord has shown me a way for tie up in tamilnadu for a great school plan through this varkey's. Let me contact you in the near future.

[rajkumar isaac]

it is great . I strongly hope the almighty lord has shown me a way for tie up in tamilnadu for a great school plan through this varkey's. Let me contact you in the near future.

[Ravi Churiwala]

Dear Sir,

I am part of a business group based in Kolkata with varied interests in IT Hardware, Software & solutions

We have investments in real estate (land) in & around Kolkata which would be suitable for the purpose of developing school campus.

In recent times,we have been evaluating various diversification options and education is a big focus area for us

Would like to evaluate potential for tie up with you for Kolkata region

What are your key requirements? How can we take this forward?

Best Rgds

Ravi Churiwala

[shradha sheth]

dear sir,

i just found out about GEMS, i was wondering if you even provide educational services to the higher education sector?

reagrds,
shradha sheth

[H.S.Khalsa]

Dear Sir,
I am working as the principal of a C.B.S.E. school and wish to start a school. I have plans, location, but shortage of funds. If you feel like starting a school I would like to get associated with you. Presently I am in M.P.

[Gururaj]

Dear Sir

We are a running a successful textile business in Coimbatore

Thanks and rgds
Gururaj