They are nurtured to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow – while also enjoying yoga and taekwondo classes.
With all that on the timetable, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a school for teenagers. Sunshine Kids is actually a “futurepreneurial” preschool – touted to be Malaysia’s first – that has centres in Negeri Sembilan and Melaka, and soon in Klang, Selangor and Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Founded a decade ago by husband-and-wife team Dr RV Shyam Prasad and Parameswari Manoharan, Sunshine Kids is a preschool for children aged three to six that blends play, Montessori principles, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), and entrepreneurial thinking to spark creativity and leadership from an early age.
“We don’t want to create only bookworms; we have to create future citizens,” Shyam told FMT Lifestyle. “We are creating futurepreneurial kids because the world needs more skill-oriented personalities.
“Future citizens are not made by brick and mortar or by chisel and hammer. They are inculcated only in the classrooms.”
For Shyam, the true aim of education is adaptability. That’s why Sunshine Kids goes beyond academics – blending maths, science, arts, and languages with values, abacus, communication, and public speaking.
Through activity-based learning, Shyam said, children are prepared “to face the real world and the inevitable things in life”.
At Sunshine, kids start young: by age four, they’re already juggling Mandarin, Tamil, Malay, and Islamic studies. Classes are tailored to whichever path they’ll take next, from vernacular schools to international ones.
The outcome? Sunshine kids don’t just keep up – they stand out, often topping their classes no matter the stream.
Today, with more than 400 children enrolled, Sunshine Kids takes pride in its original copyrighted curriculum, complete with its own textbooks, activity books, and carefully designed learning modules.
But behind this growing brand is a story that began much closer to home. Back in 2012, while working as a lecturer in KL, Shyam started searching for a preschool for his young daughter in Port Dickson.
Unsatisfied with the options, he and his wife decided to build their own. That leap led to the first Sunshine Kids branch – a journey Shyam admits was not easy, but one towards which they kept moving forward.
Their efforts soon gained recognition when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, then Port Dickson MP, officiated their headquarters. Since then, Sunshine has expanded to Teluk Kemang, Seremban 2, and Forest Heights in Senawang – with their next branch opening this month at Melaka International School.
Shyam’s ambitions hasn’t stopped at running schools on his own: after years of preparation, Sunshine finally secured its franchise licence three months ago. Now, beyond its own outlets, the brand is ready to welcome new partners.
The ideal franchisee is anyone passionate about education – whether they already run a preschool or are starting fresh. Sunshine provides full support, from licensing and marketing to teacher training and daily operations, with step-by-step guidance to ensure no one is left on their own.
Shyam stresses that Sunshine’s franchise model is kept affordable, aiming to build a movement of educators with a shared vision.
Beyond preschools, he hopes to grow Sunshine into private and international schools – and one day, even a university. It’s an ambitious journey, but one Shyam and Parameswari are determined to see through.
Meanwhile, expansion abroad is already underway with a new branch in India, and plans for Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
For them, Sunshine isn’t just about running schools – it’s about shaping futures, building leaders, and proving that with the right start, every child can shine.
“I strongly echo Nelson Mandela, who said education is the greatest tool which you can use to change the world,” Shyam concluded.
Find out more about Sunshine Kids here.