Another abacus institute comes to Calcutta.

Aloha India announced the launch of its Bengal branch on Wednesday. With over 275 centres across the country and around 25,000 students on the rolls, several centres are coming up in the city, starting with Ballygunge in the first week of September. Currently, there?s an Aloha Bengal centre in Behrampore.

Aloha International began in Malaysia in 1993 teaching mental arithmetic to children through the abacus, an ancient Chinese calculating tool. Now, there are branches in Australia, New Zealand, Oman, UAE, USA and some European countries, with 2,600 centres and over three million students.

The programme of the ISO 9001:2000-certified institute comprises eight levels of three months each. Students can advance with 60 per cent or above. Attendance is required once a week, for two hours. Courses are customised according to age, beginning with Aloha Tiny Tots, for toddlers from four to six years old.

The institute also has other programmes for the development of the child, like Aloha 9 Smart for kids aged six to 14.

Harvard University professor Howard Gardner in the 1980s identified nine types of intelligence in children ? verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, intra-personal, interpersonal, visual/spatial, kinesthetic, musical, natural and existential.

The 20-month 9 Smart ?brain development programme? designed by Dr Vaanthi Vasudev nurtures these aspects by solving mental puzzles based on real-life situations.

The Aloha Power Plus programme for students 10 years old and above ?teaches ?how to? secrets of academic success?. Split into four levels of three months each, the techniques taught include memory methods, handwriting, learning skills, speed reading, mind mapping (developed by Britisher Tony Buzon) and time management.

Other topics are communication skills, concentration and exam techniques, stress management, student psychology, facing interviews, groups discussions, character building, goal setting, career counselling and more.

The courses on offer include Kids Art, teaching the youngsters drawing through geometric shapes. English Smart teaches communication skills, and Speed Maths for those in Class V and above will help them learn algebra, calculus, etc.

?We offer a wide range of programmes, some which no one else in the country does,? added managing director K. Kumaran.