Kara4Kids — a group of premium preschools and daycare centres in Bangalore — has entered into an academic collaboration with The Pennsylvania Global and Education Hub (Penn Hub), a joint operation of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and a consortium of independent universities and public community colleges. This one-of-its-kind initiative in early years education will further equip Kara4kids with cutting-edge skills and modern tools to enhance its abilities and modes of teaching. Penn Hub, through its member institutions, provides training in early childhood development exclusively for Kara and is also committed to provide teachers with training programme guide, as well as audit existing academic programmes and their effective implementation based on their findings and observations. This collaboration is a first-of-its-kind for any preschool in India with an association grounded in the idea that education can, and indeed should, be expanded to foster values and competencies from an early age.

As a part of this partnership, Penn Hub has conducted various professional development training sessions for the staff of Kara4Kids and has been continuing the same through online and/or face-to-face training programmes for teachers. Kara4Kids’ technically equipped staff has also been recognised with official certificates to certify their participation. With the objective of building a strong foundation for early years, the faculty from Penn Hub shall continue to visit Kara4Kids and work in line with the Indian academic year.

Comments Prachi Mehrotra, executive director, Kara Learning, “We are delighted to partner with Penn Hub, on this important global initiative and are glad to bring about this first of its kind experience in our education system through the Early Years Development Program. We want our preschool children to be exposed to the best training available globally. We are aware that Penn Hub offers training in pre-school that is unparalleled and our children will benefit immensely through this initiative. We will enhance our teaching-learning processes to help kids gain a differential edge equipped with critical skills to succeed in the future right from an early age.”

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Anita Meehan, Penn Hub said, “We are excited to be working with our partners in India to be able to provide students and faculty a whole new range of educational experiences on an international scale. The globalisation of education has the potential to reshape our world, and Pennsylvania’s institutions are on the frontlines of this movement.”

Kara4Kids’ vision is to empower children with all abilities to create a more vibrant and energised world leading them to be happy life-long learners. The preschool, which has won several awards, fosters a collaborative and enquiry play-based approach to develop the skills necessary for children to construct their own knowledge and prepare them by valuing and enhancing their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Kara4Kids unfolds and reveals an inclusive and exploratory programme focusing on learning that strengthens a value and skill-based pedagogy. This begins in the early years through the use of the arts and manipulatives. During this time, the teachers help the children to build their personal and social development through positive and meaningful experiences.