Education for a brighter future

So why is there a Migros Kids School in Tiruppur?

Tiruppur is one of the largest cities for the textile industry in southern India. Migros procures the lion's share of its textiles from there; some 1300 different products, including T-shirts, baby wear, children’s clothing and tea towels.

To help tackle child labour, Migros founded the Migros Kids School in 1999 together with local suppliers and the KIDS Köln foundation.

The private school prioritises teaching children from financially disadvantaged social backgrounds. In so doing, Migros and its partners are making a vital contribution towards improving the living conditions of children and adolescents in the region, while at the same time supporting low-income families.

How many children attend the school?

The Migros Kids School officially began teaching in the 1999/2000 school year with 43 pupils in 14 classrooms.

Today, its 51 staff members teach more than 1200 pupils divided into 41 classes. In addition to standard classrooms, there are specialist rooms for lessons in Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The private school is divided into four levels: nursery, primary, middle and high school, which roughly corresponds to Swiss baccalaureate schools. Depending on the grade, the annual school fees vary between the equivalent of CHF 180 and CHF 415 per child.

Over the years, the school has become a highly regarded and popular education establishment. Former pupils of the Migros Kids School are now fully-fledged professionals in the service sector, including software engineers, IT specialists, professors, teachers and vets.

How is the Migros Kids School funded?

Since becoming independent, in 2015, the school has been largely self-financing, covering approximately 80% of its costs itself. This is achieved through school fees and charges for bus transportation paid for by the pupils’ families.

The aforementioned textile tags are another major source of funding. By buying products labelled with these tags, Migros customers indirectly donate to the school (approx. CHF 0.01 per sold item bearing a textile tag). This currently funds about a fifth of the running costs.

What am I supporting by buying products labelled with the textile tag?

The Migros Kids School uses the money to cover its running costs, which include books, school uniforms, teachers' salaries, electricity, water and school buses.

Bigger investments, such as in infrastructure or new computers, are funded by additional donations. For example, Migros installed solar panels to mark the school’s tenth anniversary.

What’s the school’s vision for the future?

The school aims to continue providing disadvantaged children with the best possible education and support their general development into responsible adults who have a positive impact on their families and society.