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How Working Mothers Influence the Rise of Preschools in India

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The Growing Demand
Preschools provide early childhood education for young children during their crucial years of development and prepare them with fundamental skills for life at school. With the growing significance of early learning, more and more parents are opting for preschools to help build social, numeracy, phonetic and physiological skills in their kids.

Factors such as nuclear families, both parents being working professionals, the need for rich and meaningful early experiences, and a high standard of living are responsible for driving the growth of the preschool industry in India. These elements are additionally reassuring various market players to infiltrate the Indian preschool a highly competitive market, with all players contending to be on top of the industry by offering the best-in-class learning strategies.

In the latest report shared by Technavio, the preschool industry is expected to grow by USD 3.27 bn during 2020-2024 at a CAGR of 18% during the period.

How an Increase in Women Workforce is Responsible for the Growth:
In developed nations, with an established framework or with organizations that effectively enable women participation in the workforce, having accessible childcare is a facilitator of their professional growth. Yet in places that need to set up care arrangements, families and informal agents play a key role.

In India essentially, female participation in the workforce has increased exponentially, combined with the productive advances provided by the Government. The persistent development in the healthcare sector, childcare expenditure, increased household expenditure, and inflation have made it vital for both parents to add value to their family expenses.

The Role of Mothers in Early Childcare
The societal mindset expects women to manage domestic work as well as their job with commitment. In India, and in many other nations, motherhood is considered the only important job; moreover, women who are not seen fulfilling this job in the conventional sense are admonished, either openly or secretively. In this specific situation, childcare is for the most part the duty of the mother. While Indian dads are getting progressively engaged with raising their kids, particularly in metropolitan areas, they are only involved once the children begin going to school.

Any working mother could vouch for the level of stress and commitment it requires to put 100% in their job as well as keeping their family together. Especially in times of a global crisis, when the line between personal and professional lives has become too thin, mothers find it difficult.

Fortunately, more and more fathers are taking up their responsibilities and playing a significant role in their children’s lives. While some are choosing to become stay-at-home dads, others are demanding flexible working shifts to help their spouses.

Secondly, mothers are also demanding their employers to allow a flexible working environment. With more provisions at work such as work from home or sabbaticals to spend time with children, parents are bound to remain productive at work and stay committed. Working culture flourishes when flexible working is encouraged and downgrades if denied.

Thirdly, several avenues have opened up for mothers to become freelancers and entrepreneurs, making it easier to fit their work around their personal life. This implies that women can conceivably work while their child sleeps, which means they should neither compromise on spending time with their children or their work.

For parents to be productive in work environments, they should be assured that their children are in safe hands, and engaged meaningfully, which again highlights the importance of preschool/childcare facilities.

Despite the difficulties, the organized preschool sector is expected to prosper in India. The current situation recommends that the sector will observe development in the next couple of years with an increased demand for branded and organized institutes. Considering the capability of the Indian preschool market, global preschool chains are likewise peering toward us detecting a possible development. Having said that, regulating the industry in India is a need of great importance as it will assist in setting standards to evaluate the preprimary education in such schools.