If you have the capital, experience and right temperament, running a day-care center or preschool can be a good business for you. Since every hour there is a baby being born, after three to four years parents must seek a preschool for their children. This is inevitable because they have to be prepared before going to grade school. So before starting a preschool, the first step is determining the type of facility you want to set up. A facility for kids aged four and below is classified as a day-care, while preschools serve children aged four-and-a-half to six. Technically, day-care centers are places where parents drop off their children for guided play, but their coordinators or assistants need not be teachers by profession since they simply mind the kids.
These centers are accredited and monitored by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and supervised by local government units, which charge a very minimal fee, since Congress has yet to pass a bill allowing private businessmen to operate them. On the other hand, preschools are subject to stricter guidelines, cost more to put up and are regulated by the Department of Education (which prefers that their administrators have a master’s degree in education, and their owners a degree in a discipline allied with education and at least 18 units of preschool education).
It’s not easy to get your preschool accredited because of the red tape of the education and social welfare departments so in turn many preschools operate without accreditation. Also, in the financial side, late tuition fees and parents that ran away without paying are some of the obstacles in running a preschools. You will have to deal also for demanding or nitpicking parents.
Below are some guidelines that might help you if you are really interested in starting a preschool:
* Register either with the Department of Trade and Industry (if you’re a single proprietorship) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (if you’re a partnership or Corporation) Make sure your space is at least 500 square meters as required by the education department. Also secure the list of requirements from the department’s Bureau of Elementary Education Division for your accreditation.
*In building your classrooms, make sure each child has at least two square meters of space within and at least four square meters without. You’ll have to build a bathroom near the classrooms. If your school is within a subdivision, you may use open space that is not more than 200 meters away provided your barangay and homeowners’ association allow it.
*Invest in toys, books and other learning materials like workbooks, flash cards and charts.
*Hire teachers and a teacher aide who specialized in early childhood education.
*Never allow your school to be used as a place of business or residence after classes.
You’ll have to operate as a business enterprise until your school is accredited by the education department so secure your mayor’s permit and register with the tax bureau. You’ll also have to take out insurance for your classrooms or building.
Secure permission from the homeowners association if you plan to operate within a subdivision.
Manny Montala was an online entrepreneur who enjoys blogging about entrepreneurship and gathering information for his blog to help budding entrepreneurs. Like this post? Why not share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google plus, LinkedIn and Pinterest? Scroll up and see social icons above then click and share!
I dont want really an educational based business. I just want a place where people can drop their kids for hours they need to. Some kind of nanny tyope of service. Is that even possible?
Hi Charity, the business you want to put up is a day care business and it’s not necessary to teach the children. Those educational things are just an addition to the service.
Thanks for the information. It all starts with a dream, a dream of how you want your life to be. This dream transforms into a vision and a vision turns into a plan that ultimately turns into a reality. I now just started my day care center. Lot’s of website that can help us give ideas on how to successfully start our dream… one of those sites is openadaycare.org… and a blog like these.
one of my big dreams is to put up a preschool, do i need to take up master’s degree major in early childhood education or an MBA maybe to help me make thru with my plans?
@bangskie
I’m not sure but since you’re going to set-up your own school and not looking for a job that requires MBA or any master’s degree, I think that is not necessary.
Hi,
If any one would like to start pre school, please contact me on my email id. I will provide consultancy including space, curriculum, training, marketing and day to day operation.
Is a preschool allowed to operate while the administrator is finishing his/her masters degree? Does it have to be a masters degree? Can’t it be a second course?
i have read that a pre school site must be at least 500 sq. meters; should it be property owned or a rented one is allowed ?
somebody told me too that the school site must be at least 5000 sq. meters. i am now confused.
@daisy quitain
My daughter graduated her elementary from a private school with only less than 1,000 sq meter on my estimate. The school has preschool, elementary and high school. I think having a 5000 sq meter for a preschool is too much.
If you have the capital, experience and right temperament, running a day-care center or preschool can be a good business for you. Since every hour there is a baby being born, after three to four years parents must seek a preschool for their children. This is inevitable because they have to be prepared before going to grade school. So before starting a preschool, the first step is determining the type of facility you want to set up. A facility for kids aged four and below is classified as a day-care, while preschools serve children aged four-and-a-half to six. Technically, day-care centers are places where parents drop off their children for guided play, but their coordinators or assistants need not be teachers by profession since they simply mind the kids.
Tanong ko po sana if required po ba na magkaroon ng parents waiting area for preschool?
Hi, i just want to put up a drop off center for children.no teaching.does it need to have 500 sq m? Does it need to be accredited by deped?
Hello! may certain size ba ng land kapag magpapatayo ng preschool?
Hi,
I dont want really an educational based business. I just want a place where people can drop their kids for hours they need to. Some kind of nanny tyope of service. Is that even possible?
Hi Charity, the business you want to put up is a day care business and it’s not necessary to teach the children. Those educational things are just an addition to the service.
How do I contact Tushar? Thanks
How much po ang total capital investment of pre-school in order to stat and operate? thanks
Thanks for this! This really helped a lot. 🙂
Thanks for the information. It all starts with a dream, a dream of how you want your life to be. This dream transforms into a vision and a vision turns into a plan that ultimately turns into a reality. I now just started my day care center. Lot’s of website that can help us give ideas on how to successfully start our dream… one of those sites is openadaycare.org… and a blog like these.
one of my big dreams is to put up a preschool, do i need to take up master’s degree major in early childhood education or an MBA maybe to help me make thru with my plans?
@bangskie
I’m not sure but since you’re going to set-up your own school and not looking for a job that requires MBA or any master’s degree, I think that is not necessary.
Hi,
If any one would like to start pre school, please contact me on my email id. I will provide consultancy including space, curriculum, training, marketing and day to day operation.
Hi. How can I contact you?
Pls email [email protected]
Thank you
Is a preschool allowed to operate while the administrator is finishing his/her masters degree? Does it have to be a masters degree? Can’t it be a second course?
what are the requirements given by the bureau of elementary education in order to start a preschool?
i have read that a pre school site must be at least 500 sq. meters; should it be property owned or a rented one is allowed ?
somebody told me too that the school site must be at least 5000 sq. meters. i am now confused.
@daisy quitain
My daughter graduated her elementary from a private school with only less than 1,000 sq meter on my estimate. The school has preschool, elementary and high school. I think having a 5000 sq meter for a preschool is too much.
@sir manny how much the exactly amount of the investment or capital to operate a daycare？