MUMBAI, Nov. 5 -- Driven by a surging demand for global-standard schooling - particularly the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum -- the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is set for a major K-12 infrastructure expansion over the next two years. At least six established brands and new entrants, including real estate companies, are planning expansive new campuses, modern buildings and upgraded facilities. While school managements such as JBCN International School in Parel, Jamnabai Narsee International School in Juhu and Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) are poised to either redevelop or expand their campuses to accommodate more students, Runwal Realty is setting up IB schools in Mulund, Chembur and Thane. GEMS Education, a global school operator, is exploring collaborations and new schools in different parts of the city and suburbs. JBCN International School's Parel campus is adding four floors to accommodate new facilities, including technology-enabled classrooms, advanced science laboratories, a large auditorium, a cafe-style collaborative lounge and dedicated spaces for sports and physical development. It will also introduce Cambridge A Level (classes 11 and 12) at the Parel campus. At present, the school offers the IGCSE curriculum (till class 10) and the IB Diploma programme. "The new spaces have been planned to support the IB approach to education, which focuses on learning through questions, practical work, teamwork and independent thinking. Classrooms and other learning spaces play an important role in encouraging students to share ideas, work together and learn through practical experiences," said Alexander Abraham, principal of JBCN International School, Parel. "The new facilities will help students develop the skills needed for higher studies and university life." Working on similar lines, the Jamnabai Narsee International School has budgeted around Rs.800 crore to build a new campus on a 2.36-acre plot in Juhu. The school on the new campus is expected to offer the IB programme from kindergarten to class 12, with planned facilities that include modern academic blocks, science and learning hubs, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, performing arts spaces and areas for student activities. Jairaj C Thacker, the managing trustee of the school, said the management decided to expand after seeing the growing demand for the IB curriculum among parents. "We were fortunate to get land near our current location. We envisage a new campus building in the future to accommodate more students and provide better facilities," he said. Meanwhile, Dhirubhai Ambani International School at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is redeveloping its original building, which was constructed in 2003. A spokesperson for the school said the expansion was necessary to meet the school's future needs. The new building will follow the design ideas used at Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School (NMAJS), also in BKC, with flexible learning spaces that encourage teamwork, creativity, innovation and student participation. Once complete, the redeveloped DAIS building for secondary school students, and the NMAJS campus will together form an integrated educational complex with a combined built-up area of around 8 lakh sq ft. The project is expected to nearly double the school's capacity by offering an environment for connected learning where students can move through different stages of education with access to modern facilities. Education barons are also exploring partnerships to increase the number of schools and improve existing facilities. GEMS Education, which operates K-12 schools across several countries, has collaborated with two existing schools in Vikhroli's Tagore Nagar (ICSE) and Kalyan's Gauripada (CBSE) to upgrade their infrastructure facilities. Francis Joseph, India CEO of GEMS Education, said the group is constructing schools with local players in Malad, Goregaon, Thane and Kalyan. These schools, offering a non-state board curriculum, are scheduled to open in 2028-29. "Working together, as opposed to working alone, is the need of the hour. The GEMS collaboration model offers that," said Joseph, adding that the curriculum will be aligned with the community's needs, which the management has ascertained through research and analysis. Real estate developer Runwal Realty plans to develop three schools in Mulund, Chembur and Thane, and foundation work for its first campus in Chembur has already started. Saurabh Runwal, of Runwal Realty, said, the Chembur school will function from an eight-storey building and offer the IB programme. The school will also have a large playground spread across more than 12,000 sq ft. "The campus is being planned with modern learning technology, sports facilities and spaces for different student activities - learning will not be limited to only classrooms." The growing interest of real estate developers in school infrastructure is also reflected in a recent report by real estate consultant CBRE, which estimates that private unaided K-12 schools in India will require around 0.9 billion sq ft of additional infrastructure. While players such as Hiranandani, Kanakia and Oberoi operate their own schools, the CBRE report has attributed the expansion of schools and higher education institutions to the growing demand for quality education, population growth and policy changes, including the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. "We are seeing a growing demand for international schools and better school infrastructure in the city. Over time, two segments of parents have emerged: one wants their children to develop holistically with communication skills, confidence and other abilities along with academics, and therefore looks for schools with better infrastructure and international education, while the other prefers the national curriculum as they want their children to focus on competitive examinations. With growing awareness about holistic development, the demand for international schools is also growing," said Kavita Agarwal, chairperson of the Mumbai International School Association....