About the Aga Khan Academies pt
The Aga Khan Academies develop ethical leaders who work to transform their societies. We select talented children from all backgrounds and give them a rigorous international education, a pluralist cultural experience in an inspiring environment and opportunities to learn through service.
Welcome by Dr Graham Ranger
The role of an Academy education is to help students have a code of ethics and a desire to serve others. They live, study and play in a pluralistic, multilingual and multicultural environment, learning that differences in people are to be cherished as a source of enrichment.
I am delighted to play a small part in developing leaders who will, in turn, transform their societies by the way they lead and how they value others. I expect the network to flourish, becoming even more diverse and interconnected physically and virtually. Our alumni will grow in number and in influence, becoming a greater force for change.
And, by doing something that no other network of schools is doing, identifying high potential young people, irrespective of their means and enabling them to be part of the change for their societies, the Academies will become known globally for what we do, and what our students and local staff achieve.
I warmly welcome any visitors to this site and to our Academies. If you join you will contribute to a much bigger mission: to use education to improve the quality of life for so many others.
Graham Ranger, Director of Academies
The Academies are a global network of IB schools currently based in Kenya, India, Mozambique and Bangladesh. They will form an international learning community of 18 schools across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The Academies accept exceptional students aged six to 18, offering financial assistance where needed. Local and international students follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum as part of their holistic residential education. They live and learn with others from a variety of backgrounds, developing as ethical leaders in world-standard surroundings.
“An education must equip students with the tools that enable them to adapt and thrive, in a world characterised by change. Education that prepares children for life must go beyond fundamental skills to stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity and honest inquiry."
As part of the AKDN network, the Academies aim to contribute to national education priorities through their Professional Development Centres LINK. These provide learning opportunities for both Academy staff and local, external participants. Working with educational departments and schools, we design hands-on programmes such as
• English language refreshers
• subject-specific knowledge
• leadership capability
• skills for effective teaching.
Our Centre experts then bring their learning to each participant’s classroom by observing and assisting. This builds professional competence and embeds good practice in teaching.
Stories
“The residences at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo is a place where students and faculty live on campus far away from their homes for a better study experience. In the residences, we meet people from different places, learn new skills, gain knowledge and build relationships with each other. I have been a part of the residential programme for one year and my time so far has been great and memorable.
We begin early at 6 am with morning exercises and breakfast. Classes start at 7.45 am and end at 2.35 pm with two breaks in between for snack and lunch. After school hours, the residential students have study time for one hour and 15 minutes to complete our tasks and assignments. Then we have two hours before dinner to relax, speak to our parents, play sports, etc. There is more study time after dinner for three hours, followed by a snack, and then it’s lights out at 10.15 pm. On the weekends, we go off campus for excursions, such as the beach, water parks, cultural heritage sites and much more. We can also go to our places of worship on Fridays and the weekend, accompanied by a teacher.
The experiences I have gained at the Academy have been amazing and unforgettable. The faculty members are all very supportive, kind and helpful whenever we need them. One thing I have learned while living in the residences is the importance of community building so there is unity and a bond with everyone on campus.”
Alvin Banani, Grade 10, Aga Khan Academy Maputo
Mahek Charania, Diploma Programme 1 student, Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad
“The Aga Khan has been a household name for me from a young age. Growing up, my grandfather would tell me stories about working at His Highness the Aga Khan’s stud farms in Ireland. When my cousins moved to Kenya and began attending the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, I visited them several times. I always knew I wanted to end up living and working in Africa.
Walking to work in the freezing cold and rain in Ireland always made me long for Africa, so I made the decision to try and make the move. I searched online for job openings within the Aga Khan Academies and to my delight the Aga Khan Academy Maputo was looking for a Visual Arts Teacher. I was further drawn to the idea of working for the Academy due to the fantastic curriculum on offer. The International Baccalaureate strongly promotes pluralism, cultural enrichment, inclusion and leadership to create a better world for all. The Rebalancing Programme the Academy offers is also something I was very keen to learn more about and get involved with. Providing students from different socioeconomic backgrounds with opportunities to be educated in a phenomenal setting is very important.
I was ecstatic to receive my confirmation. I began working from Ireland due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions but have enjoyed every minute of it. The Aga Khan Academy Maputo is a hard-working family, the staff are fantastic and have made me feel like I have always been a part of the team and the students are phenomenal, engaging and dedicated. I will miss my family and friends when I move to Mozambique, but I am truly excited to begin this new adventure.”
Rachael Odwyer, Visual Arts Teacher, Aga Khan Academy Maputo
“The Aga Khan has been a household name for me from a young age. Growing up, my grandfather would tell me stories about working at His Highness the Aga Khan’s stud farms in Ireland. When my cousins moved to Kenya and began attending the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, I visited them several times. I always knew I wanted to end up living and working in Africa.
Walking to work in the freezing cold and rain in Ireland always made me long for Africa, so I made the decision to try and make the move. I searched online for job openings within the Aga Khan Academies and to my delight the Aga Khan Academy Maputo was looking for a Visual Arts Teacher. I was further drawn to the idea of working for the Academy due to the fantastic curriculum on offer. The International Baccalaureate strongly promotes pluralism, cultural enrichment, inclusion and leadership to create a better world for all. The Rebalancing Programme the Academy offers is also something I was very keen to learn more about and get involved with. Providing students from different socioeconomic backgrounds with opportunities to be educated in a phenomenal setting is very important.
I was ecstatic to receive my confirmation. I began working from Ireland due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions but have enjoyed every minute of it. The Aga Khan Academy Maputo is a hard-working family, the staff are fantastic and have made me feel like I have always been a part of the team and the students are phenomenal, engaging and dedicated. I will miss my family and friends when I move to Mozambique, but I am truly excited to begin this new adventure.”
Rachael Odwyer, Visual Arts Teacher, Aga Khan Academy Maputo