After coding and mathematics, edtech company WhiteHat Jr is commercially launching music curriculum on its platform in India and the US, and has onboarded about 800 music teachers to offer piano and guitar lessons online.
Speaking to PTI, WhiteHat Jr founder and CEO Karan Bajaj said the commercial launch of music category follows a beta testing phase that was limited to paid subscribers of the company.
"Our singular focus has been to inspire a generation of children to create versus consume. Music fits right at the centre of that mission. We believe music and the arts are as critical for a child's development as learning STEM and want every child to have access to the best music teachers in the world through technology,” he added.
He added that about 800 teachers are already Live on the platform and over 10,000 trials have been conducted with paid students.
Bajaj said the response to the music offering has been "phenomenal' from students, parents and the teachers and currently, it is adding 30-40 teachers daily on the platform.
While the curriculum is currently available for K-12 students, Bajaj said there is strong inbound interest coming in from adults.
"Our plan is we are launching in India and the US with Indian teachers, and then immediately after this, we are launching in Australia and the UK in about two weeks time and then in Brazil and Mexico in about six weeks. So we will have teachers in India teaching kids in India, US, Australia, UK, and for Brazil, Mexico we will hire local teachers," he added.
The music curriculum is priced at Rs 3,299 onwards.
Bajaj said the company is also adding teachers in the Philippines as well to expand the supply base, and will launch in the Middle East shortly.
Globally, the music education industry, especially for instruments, is highly fragmented. Parents face multiple issues such as the availability of good tutors, engaging class experiences, and the logistics of supporting an offline class. "Our programme has been designed to address these challenges,” he said.
Designed from the ground-up, the platform has been built after incorporating feedback from music experts, teachers, students and early adopters. The platform does not simply replicate a physical class but uses interactive music sheets to make it easier for students to learn.
It also helps them practice better as the sheets play the underlying music and provide the students with a reference audio. Further, teachers can track progress between classes and share personalised feedback on the practice of their students.
The company has also partnered with musical stalwart Lucky Ali as part of its brand campaign to popularise music offering to students across the country.
WhiteHat Jr has over 11,000-teachers conducting live coding, mathematics and music classes online daily. Cumulatively, the company has conducted more than 8.5 million classes to date. It was acquired by edtech major Byju's for $300 million last year.