Recent social media is full of feedback and comments on WhiteHatJr and Byju’s advertisement approach.
Both are emerging EdTech companies with now secured funding and backing. With funding and opportunity recognized due to COVID19 and lockdown, many EdTech startups are focusing on giving replacement to the current education system. Schools and Colleges are facing new challenges due to lockdown and the need for social distancing. Teachers are coping up with new learning of creating online content and taking online classes.
A few years earlier, there was a campaign of making the School Bags of Kids lighter. The focus was more on making the education activity based along with the books. Many appraised the concept and making the kids stronger with sports activities, games. With online training, those activities have reduced to zero. On top of it, the EdTech companies are running campaigns on adding more online training, learn coding at 6, or moving to online coaching classes which is creating precisely the opposite impact.
Digital adoption is adequate if it empowers the current system. But if the digital adoption is trying to replace the present-day structure with a new arrangement, this may create CHAOS.
Some advertisements exaggerated on the lack of the current education system. It is undermining the Education Fundamentals, Learning curve, and the need for building a strong foundation across knowledge, activities, and sports.
Somewhere the objective of the EdTech startups is good but positioned in the wrong or worst way which will pass on the impact on other EdTech startups as well.
We have seen this earlier during the adoption cycle of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) which took centre stage 2 years back with all possible marketing efforts, campaigns, and investments.
Ground reality was different–
- The execution was not well planned
- Got opposed by the user who was supposed to embrace it
- Seen as threats by important stakeholders
- Big gap between what advertisement says and what came as a reality
What EdTech startups should do for the Indian Education System:
- Understand the foundation and principles of the Indian Education System and align solutions with them
- Leverage strength of the Indian Education system
- Build solutions for Urban as well as Rural Education System
- Make the teachers and institutes, key-stakeholders in the digital adoption
- Few technology components: Low bandwidth solutions, storage, e-learning content
Indian Education system has immense potential for Digital adoption. Making it a synergetic ecosystem with the teachers and Institutes may make it more stable and flexible.