21 Dec 2020  |   03:24am IST

Want to inculcate joy of learning in kids: Team StudyNook

New thoughts and fresh look to find solution is always rewarding. During this pandemic three friends Annalise Benjamin, Nagesh Kochkar and Finoshka Rodrigues got together to launch Goa’s first online interactive platform for the age group of 8-15 years offering courses in English, spoken English and mathematics. VIKANT SAHAY spoke to one of the founders to find out more.
Want to inculcate joy of learning in kids: Team StudyNook

VIKANT SAHAY

HERALD: Tell us about your company and your team?

ANNALISE BENJAMIN: StudyNook is an online interactive platform currently offering courses in English, spoken English and mathematics. It aims to provide students with personalised education wherein they are in direct communication with the teacher. Three of us founded this company, the first of its type in Goa during the pandemic. I have completed my Masters in Literature from Mithibai College of Arts, Mumbai with honors and my friends, Finoshka Rodrigues is a post graduate from Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao and Nagesh Kochkar is an engineer from Don Bosco College of Engineering. 


HERALD: How did you come up with this idea?

AB: We have all been through the formative years of education and have not had the facilities to avail one-on-one sessions as well group discussions among our peers who come from diverse backgrounds. As professionals from different fields, we wanted to inculcate the joy of learning sans the stigmas attached to it. StudyNook was founded to facilitate a number of actions. Studying goes beyond the curriculum, it is an amalgamation of concepts and originality. Fundamentally, we have been devoid of breaking the mould of boundary based education. Stimulating discussions is the need of the hour. Children ought to be confident enough to put their points across to a range of people. Through interactive classes, they will find themselves in the midst of children not only out of their own school but possibly out of the state. 


HERALD: Who is your target customer?

AB: We are targeting customers in the age bracket of 8-15 years. This encompasses sowing a seed of originality and innovativeness at a younger age. Currently, we are in the talks of affiliating with the British Council which will open us up towards a wider audience. 


HERALD: What is your revenue model? Who are your major clients?

AB: We are following a transactional revenue model which will be based on web sales. This will be generated through website engagement, social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, podcasts and interacting with students through our blogs. 

 

HERALD: Where all are you providing your services and how would you rate the Goa market as compared to others?

AB: StudyNook will be a pan-India company, providing pre-recorded sessions and live interactive classes across the country. The Goan market is only recently warming up to the idea of online education which during the pandemic has been the need of the hour across the globe. StudyNook will be catering to every Goan child's personal educational needs taking into account creation of flexibility in thought and learning beyond boundaries. 


HERALD: Do you think Goa has the right ecosystem for your endeavour?

AB: Goa has rapidly grown in the education sector in the last ten years. There have been leaps and bounds in the curriculum which certainly does make it adaptable to our endeavour. Especially, owing to time restraints attaining innovative modes of education within your four walls will be a blessing in disguise. 


HERALD: Do you have plans to spread out of Goa too?

AB: Till date attaining knowledge through modern means has been a privilege and not all have received a taste of it. Innovative education is a must for children not only in Goa but also across the country. Branching out is certainly in the pipeline. 

 

HERALD: What’s new that you bring to the table in the field of education?

AB: Education has been primarily one of our biggest sources of development. The other is being learning on the field. This is what we have imbibed over the years but through our approach we intend on doing the same from younger years. We want to break the stereotypes attached to mainstream education and moving towards a wider perspective. Post globalisation, this is the need of the hour. 

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar