The present is the synergy of the past and future. Living in the present, we must learn from our past while continuing the positive conventional wisdom to propel ourselves with a futuristic mindset into the tomorrow. 

That is how Radcliffe Group of Schools are guiding their pupils to the destination of success by inculcating in them the greatest qualities of yesterday and bestowing on them the traits of a modern outlook. 

In Devidutta Kanungo, the CEO’s words, “Propelled by our educational philosophy seeped in the best of traditions and modernisation, we are unleashing a generation who will question the status quo and bring a positive change in the world.”

With over two decades of experience as an educationist, Mr Devidutta has been spearheading an innovative and student-centric model of teaching-learning. 

Before Radcliffe, Mr Devidutta led and guided many educational institutes. He was instrumental in managing and leading the Oakridge group of schools, which have consistently been rated among the Top 5 International Curriculum Schools in India and are one of the largest groups of IB schools in the country with 7500+ students under its aegis. He has a vast knowledge of running an international quality school and is also an IB-certified school administrator. 

Mr Devidutta has also worked in the role of National Head -Academic Excellence of Leadschool – India’s first B2B EdTech Unicorn and one of the fastest growing EdTech companies in India working with Eight lakh+ students, along with some of the top multinational organizations like Johnson and Johnson Ltd and Indian School of Business in leadership positions. 

An engineer by training and an alumnus of the prestigious Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, Mr Devidutta is a life-long learner passionate about impacting children’s lives through education.

In an interview with CIOLOOK INDIA, he discussed Radcliffe’s journey and how they are shaping its future roadmap. The highlights of that exclusive discussion are given herein.

Sir, please brief our audience about Radcliffe Group of Schools, its USPs, and how you are currently positioned as one of the promising schools.

As educators, we consistently provide a steady supply of the nourishment needed to keep the curiosity fed. Fostering this wide-eyed wonder and quest for new learning in our children is not about ‘making them curious.’ Rather it is about ‘helping them remain curious.’ We encourage our students to explore and seek answers for themselves.

Our USPs are:

• Our educational approach supports experiential learning and learning beyond classrooms

• Our teachers provide a positive environment where each child feels valued and inspires a lifelong learning passion.

• We involve our student’s hearts, minds and bodies in the learning process by involving them in sports and extracurricular activities along with the academic pursuits

• Our curriculum includes thought-provoking explanations of concepts catering to learners with multiple intelligences, activity-based learning that enrich the learning process

• We respect the relationship between a parent and a child and welcome parents as equal partners in their child’s education, to jointly influence a child to live a positive and fulfilling life

At Radcliffe, we encourage our students to push the boundaries of current understanding and set benchmarks in the field of education. 

Tell us more about your school’s offerings and what makes it stand out in the cutthroat competition.

We work with a single-minded goal: to ensure our students have the tools and opportunities to be ready for the evolving times and be resilient, multi-skilled and future-ready.

We recognize that each child’s academic, social and emotional needs are different, and we are creating a future where each child is equipped to fulfil their own vision of success. Our curriculum acknowledges and celebrates the uniqueness of every child, guiding them towards ownership of their path and pace of learning to shape them into ‘thinking citizens of tomorrow.’

Tell us about the immersive benefits offered by your institution to its students.

•Future Ready Curriculum; •Encourage students to learn by doing; • Learner-friendly ambience with modern aesthetics; •Personalised learning methods; •Renowned teaching leaders; •Ambiance to inculcate the desire to enquire, explore and experience; •Use of robotics and simulation tech in our curriculum; •Interactive digital classrooms; • 12 dedicated co-curricular activities; •Highly qualified and experienced sports coaches; and •Pan India Network.

Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how adopting modern technologies like AI and ML impacts today’s education sector and how your school is adapting to the change.

It’s clear that technology has already changed the way we learn, and schools all across the world are looking for ways to increase student engagement and improve educational outcomes. 

Best schools today are equipping children with the tools to succeed in the future. Schools are creating immersive learning experiences that make practical studies come to life. With an environment that encourages exploration, creativity and collaboration, schools enable children to unlock their full potential and gain the skills necessary to thrive in the digital age.

That’s why we have collaborated with renowned education service providers in India to empower educators, students, and parents with state-of-the-art technology and knowledge of coding, robotics and computer science. Through this collaboration, our teachers and instructors will be trained to create practical experiences in the classroom to help them understand the complexities of real-world challenges and develop problem-solving skills accordingly.

Considering the current industry scenario, what challenges do you face, and how do you drive your institution to overcome them?

How best to incorporate technology into the classroom is a contentious challenge today.

Teachers and school staff must shoulder the responsibility to educate students very efficiently with the help of technology. Having the best teachers is the first step to becoming a top-performing school. 

The need of the hour is to raise the status quo of teaching and develop teaching as a knowledge-based profession, along with recognizing training programs designed for advanced teaching expertise. Careful consideration is required to incorporate technological advancement to develop critical skills and healthy usage habits and, at the same, utilize traditional pedagogical techniques effectively.

What would you advise budding professionals aspiring to venture into the education sector?

Indian education Sector needs an influx of well-trained and highly motivated professionals to make a substantial impact. The name of the game in India is ‘scalability.’ Youngsters passionate about education in India need to join hands and find scalable solutions that focus not on the top creamy layer but on the huge bottom of the pyramid.

How do you envision scaling your institution’s operations and offerings in the future?

Radcliffe is looking at spreading across India with its educational offering. We are investing heavily in technology and teacher training that will allow us to scale across India while maintaining our exemplary educational quality.