New Delhi:
Faced with prime land space crunch, restricted parking and erratic traffic throwing a wrench in commuting plans, entrepreneurs are coming up with innovative ideas to set up shop in major cities. The latest entrant seems to be a child learning centre which has opened a centre in a shopping mall!
Singapore-based Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning (JGCL) recently launched its new branch at the DLF Place mall located in Saket in south Delhi. "It is not a hit and trial method. We have been already running a centre in a mall in Singapore for 15 years so we know that it can be successful here too," Meenakshi Chibba, Managing Director, JGCL told PTI during the launch in New Delhi.
The concept of a school inside a mall is said to be the first of its kind in the country.
Aimed at children between six months to 16 years, the new centre built on the first floor of the high-end mall is equipped with modern facilities and cordoned off from the rest of the shopping centre activities.
"Today it is very difficult to get the right property in land blocked cities like Delhi. Restricted parking spaces and stringent rules for opening pre nursery schools have also to be factored in. The space at the mall solves all these problems," says Chibba.
With a book room containing handpicked literature, and several activity rooms that conduct drama and play sessions for the children, instructors at the centre use music, speech and drama to teach from the syllabus set by London's Trinity Guildhall. Children are also allowed to come twice or thrice a week rather than regularly. "Language is not taught but it is caught, we make children independent, as child passes from various stages so we develop his or her language, moral, emotional and aesthetic skills," says David Gabriel, director, Julia Gabriel communications.
"We plan to expand the concept to other cities and are in talks to open another centre in a mall in Chandigarh," says Chibba. Meanwhile, she says in Delhi the centre has been receiving queries from parents. "We have children of celebrities such as fashion designers Raghvendra Rathore, Ritu Beri, Namrata Joshipura and cricketer Nikhi Chopra among others," says Shamila Kohli, CEO of JGCL.
Founded by English lady Julia Gabriel the JBCL chain of learning centres has currently seven centres across the world. One in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and two each in India and Singapore.
Singapore-based Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning (JGCL) recently launched its new branch at the DLF Place mall located in Saket in south Delhi. "It is not a hit and trial method. We have been already running a centre in a mall in Singapore for 15 years so we know that it can be successful here too," Meenakshi Chibba, Managing Director, JGCL told PTI during the launch in New Delhi.
The concept of a school inside a mall is said to be the first of its kind in the country.
Aimed at children between six months to 16 years, the new centre built on the first floor of the high-end mall is equipped with modern facilities and cordoned off from the rest of the shopping centre activities.
"Today it is very difficult to get the right property in land blocked cities like Delhi. Restricted parking spaces and stringent rules for opening pre nursery schools have also to be factored in. The space at the mall solves all these problems," says Chibba.
With a book room containing handpicked literature, and several activity rooms that conduct drama and play sessions for the children, instructors at the centre use music, speech and drama to teach from the syllabus set by London's Trinity Guildhall. Children are also allowed to come twice or thrice a week rather than regularly. "Language is not taught but it is caught, we make children independent, as child passes from various stages so we develop his or her language, moral, emotional and aesthetic skills," says David Gabriel, director, Julia Gabriel communications.
"We plan to expand the concept to other cities and are in talks to open another centre in a mall in Chandigarh," says Chibba. Meanwhile, she says in Delhi the centre has been receiving queries from parents. "We have children of celebrities such as fashion designers Raghvendra Rathore, Ritu Beri, Namrata Joshipura and cricketer Nikhi Chopra among others," says Shamila Kohli, CEO of JGCL.
Founded by English lady Julia Gabriel the JBCL chain of learning centres has currently seven centres across the world. One in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and two each in India and Singapore.
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