Q. Can you share the inspiration behind founding Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School? What motivated you to start these educational institutions?
A lawyer by profession, an educationist, and an entrepreneur, was the first woman to trade on the UP Stock Exchange (Kanpur). We live in an overconstrained world and what I began with was a problem statement of not having relevant education in my city, Kanpur. In Mumbai my daughter Arya’s inspirational progress at Kangaroo Kids, still in its very early stages In Mumbai, made me found the Kangaroo Kids and Billabong franchise in Kanpur. This was a judgment call with a lot of trade-offs but such is any leadership position. In hindsight today I look back and feel this was one of the best decisions of my life. This opportunity has earned me a prominent place amongst the leading businesswomen and social workers in Northern India.
Q. In what ways do you believe Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School stand out from other educational institutions? What sets them apart in terms of philosophy and approach?
The serene and huge campuses of Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School Kanpur have a distinct set of classrooms with grand open spaces where students can speak their minds through creativity and sharpen the much-needed soft- skills for life.
Emotional, intellectual, and social development is critical to wellness in young adults. This is achieved seamlessly through a plethora of events that are offered across curricular and super curricular at school relating to sports, music, drama, debating, community service, and other forms of civic engagement.
Our school offers an enriched curriculum to its students which is based on neuroscience, is experiential, integrated catering to multiple intelligences, and practices Bloom’s taxonomy. We offer both, a national board of CBSE along and an International CAIE – IGCSE & A levels affiliated with Cambridge University, UK
Q. As the founder, how would you describe the mission and vision of Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School?
Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School in Kanpur was initiated with one sole purpose in mind which is to Change lives through International education. International educators are a unique breed, they strive tirelessly to promote global education. This is undertaken by creating global opportunities for the students like study abroad opportunities, ensuring student success on campus, opening new doors to make dreams come true, and bending destinities!
Q. Can you elaborate on the educational philosophy that guides the curriculum and teaching methods at your schools? How do you ensure the holistic development of students?
Enhancing classroom teaching and learning dynamics, learning is no longer confined to shared syllabus teaching in the classrooms. We are very particular in engaging our students with the local community, country, and the world. There is a very strong sense of contributing to the progress and development of the community. The students need to be stretched and imparted transferrable skills relevant to the workplace environment. Our various initiatives are an endeavor to impart globally relevant education to our students. There is a very strong sense of contributing to the progress and development of the community.
Our system of teaching and learning is based on best practices worldwide. Initiative, Observation, Feedback, and reflection have catapulted the school into the league of reckoning. This creates irreplaceable value for our students, teachers, and parents.
The hands-on, teaching and training by the teachers teaching in the top schools of the world.
Q. What challenges did you face in establishing and growing these educational institutions, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was the local mindset. Creating a space for International education and its relevance. We started turning around one student at a time and over a period of two decades have in place a stellar niche international institution in the reckoning.
Q. In today’s rapidly changing world, how do you ensure that Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School stay innovative and adapt to new trends and advancements in education?
A well-researched and precisely planned curriculum that engages students and leads to outstanding outcomes in learning and the VARK system of learning to progress from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking. The lessons are based on multiple intelligences to engage the students proactively. We have in place a state of the art labs with unique offerings of Food and Nutrition, Design Thinking, Coding, and Robotics. We inculcate respect for thinking by promoting metacognition.
The School organizes a series of presentations and workshops with parents and students to discuss issues regarding internet safety, emotional intelligence, and dealing with exams and any other adolescent stress students may have to deal with solutions to a situation.
Empowering the weaker and deprived sections of society is everyone’s prime duty as a sensible human being and responsible civilian. The school inspires its students to be committed to society through regular visits to Shishu Bhawan and specially-abled children organizations to volunteer and engage.
The school is Creating National and International Academic Platforms of Learning and excellence by hosting the following:
- Cross-over Faculty visits are arranged by Top Schools in the world like Westminster and Highgate based in London.
- Vocational Education
- Career Counselling for Higher Education
- Worlds Scholar Cup
- Worlds School Debate and Coaching Workshop
- Open Day
- TED talks
- IC3
- MS Teams for Hybrid Learning
- IIMUN
- Family Quiz & Fact Fiesta Quiz
- Field Trips, Guest Speakers, Expos
- AI-driven teaching resources
Q. Parental involvement is crucial in a child’s education. How do you foster strong partnerships with parents to support the learning journey of students in your schools?
Making significant investments in developing the concept through coaching parents and developing teachers alike, whilst also capturing the imagination of young minds, Priti has cut through the century-old rote-system-based education system and championed the highest quality international education in U.P./North India. She went on to expand the franchise developing new buildings/infrastructure, and extending the school to two new campuses in Kanpur. Affiliated with Cambridge CAIE, Kangaroo Kids Kanpur/ Billabong High Schools have come to be regarded as one of the best international schools in North India/U.P. Today, it is also frequented by visiting faculty from some of the leading schools in the world
Q. As a leader in the education sector, how do you see the role of technology in shaping the future of education, and how is it integrated into the learning experience at Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School?
Technology opens up endless possibilities for creativity and innovation in education. From multimedia presentations and digital storytelling to coding projects and virtual reality simulations, students at Billabong High have the opportunity to unleash their creative potential and showcase their talents in new and exciting ways.
Incorporating technology into the curriculum encourages students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and think outside the box. Whether they are designing multimedia presentations, developing interactive websites, or coding their own software applications, students are empowered to turn their ideas into reality and make meaningful contributions to the digital world.
Q. As the CEO, how do you balance maintaining high academic standards with fostering a nurturing and supportive school culture?
The value is created through a properly laid down process and procedure. While school is always a work in progress, we have a set process and procedure with multiple teams that work on the ground. The school culture is purposeful and empowering because our recruitment is rigorous and only very able like-minded individuals are being recruited. The process is valued and adhered to. We immensely value teamwork and have teachers who have continued with us for nearly two decades. Kangaroo and Billabong provide that niche opportunity, which is unmissable and inimitable in a city like Kanpur.
Q. How do you see the future of education evolving, and what role do you envision your schools playing in shaping the next generation of learners and leaders?
We are a future-ready school and a Thought leader in our Region, having a candid approach to learning, always encouraging and embracing relevant and creative opportunities for our students to work with, providing through our well-crafted thinking teaching ideology of Bloom’s taxonomy and metacognition, we inculcate in our students very systematically a gilt-edged mindset that they need to be solution seekers not just giving actionable feedbacks.
Education should be inclusive and everyone can excel in academics, this is what Priti and the teachers at Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High International School truly believe in.
