At the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Ham Serunjogi – CEO and co-founder of African fintech giant Chipper Cash – realised the importance of staying connected to something larger than himself. The Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree is now serving as an advisor to the US President on African diaspora engagement.
The vision for Aga Khan Academy graduates
Students at an Academy pursue a well-balanced education combining intellectual inquiry, academic excellence, sporting and cultural activities, and a grounding in ethics and moral reasoning.
They are committed to rigour and self-discipline in their studies and subscribe to the principles of intellectual honesty in the preparation of their work.
They respect their teachers and fellow students. They extend their respect to the cultural, religious and political convictions of others in school and in society. They dedicate themselves to debate issues honestly and fairly. They aim to understand and recognise the value of other views even as they value their own.
They are self-aware and socially conscious. They are committed to the development of their communities, their nation and civil society in the world at large. They are motivated to help others less fortunate than themselves.
They strive to acquire knowledge as part of a balanced, lifelong process of inquiry that leads to intellectual and personal growth, as well as a means to fulfil material goals.
The mastery of a particular discipline is balanced by a broad knowledge of several subjects, including science, art, literature and music.
They are also citizens of the world and at ease in environments and settings other than their own. They are generous and tolerant towards other cultures and traditions.
They are bilingual or multilingual.
They embrace the rich diversity of the world while valuing their own identity.
Interested to know more about our graduates? See spotlights on our alumni
The vision for Aga Khan Academy graduates
Education at its best facilitates positive growth in all domains – intellectual, social, physical, ethical and spiritual – leading to the well-rounded development of the child. The Aga Khan Academies aim toward this ideal, and the values they espouse are reflected in each school’s aspirations for its students.
Students at an Academy pursue a well-balanced education combining intellectual inquiry, academic excellence, sporting and cultural activities, and a grounding in ethics and moral reasoning
They are committed to rigour and self-discipline in their studies and subscribe to the principles of intellectual honesty in the preparation of their work.
They respect their teachers and fellow students. They extend their respect to the cultural, religious and political convictions of others in school and in society. They dedicate themselves to debate issues honestly and fairly. They aim to understand and recognise the value of other views even as they value their own.
They are self-aware and socially conscious. They are committed to the development of their communities, their nation and civil society in the world at large. They are motivated to help others less fortunate than themselves.
They strive to acquire knowledge as part of a balanced, lifelong process of inquiry that leads to intellectual and personal growth, as well as a means to fulfil material goals.
The mastery of a particular discipline is balanced by a broad knowledge of several subjects, including science, art, literature and music.
They are also citizens of the world and at ease in environments and settings other than their own. They are generous and tolerant towards other cultures and traditions.
They are bilingual or multilingual.
They embrace the rich diversity of the world while valuing their own identity.
Read more here.
Interested to know more about our graduates? See spotlights on our alumni
Student Spotlight - Using an enriching experience to implement positive change
80 Educators Awarded Certificates by the Aga Khan Academy, Maputo
80 Educators Awarded Certificates by the Aga Khan Academy Maputo
Samson Suhas – swimming to a better life
“I came to this school searching for better opportunities and better facilities through which I can improve in sports and excel in music and studies,” says Samson. “I didn’t have these opportunities in my previous school and didn’t get a chance to play any sport.”
Samson Suhas Srungarapti, a grade 10 student at the Academy and a professional swimmer, represented Rangareddy district at the 2nd Telangana State Winter Aquatic Championship held in Khammam district in December 2016. He came away with the bronze medal in 100mts free style and a renewed desire to participate in not just regional, but national swimming tournaments. This was the first time he had participated in a state tournament.
“I want to be an Olympic swimmer. I want to win medals in Olympics for India. And alternatively, I love music and would like to be a music director or a music teacher in the future,” expresses Samson, who trains at the Academy pool for four hours a day when school is on, and six during holidays. “My father is my coach and my role model. He is my inspiration for choosing sports as my career. Without his support and commitment, I wouldn’t have achieved as much as I have in my swimming career from when I started in December 2015 till today.”
Samson has joined a swimming club for extra support and to get his know his competition better. When he is not training, he enjoys playing football with his peers, and remembers the moment the school team won the interschool football tournament as one of the most rewarding experiences at school. His favourite subject is Mathematics, because he loves the challenge of solving a tough problem. Besides swimming, music is his other great love.
“I find the Aga Khan Academy very balanced in giving opportunities for students to develop their skills in academics as well as sports, and that is the most unique thing about this school.”
Samson feels confident of participating at a national level in 2017, and determined to continue working hard on his speed, endurance, and agility even if it involves longer training hours. He has his eyes set on the international swimming circuit, and we wish him all the very best!
Sahir Devani - representing the Academy at the 2017 IB World Student Conference
Sahir Devani, grade 11, shares his experience as an Academy representative at the IB World Student Conference held at King’s College London, from 6-12 August 2017.
The IB World Student Conference was one of best weeks of my life. I was one of 279 students from all over the world who gathered to explore the theme “Well-being in a healthy world: personal responsibility and global health.” It helped me to build perspectives around global health and well-being, and meet amazing people from different cultures. It was hectic, but enriching. We started our mornings with motivational, life-changing lectures led by eminent personalities representing high ranked organisations and educational institutions like UNHCR, WHO, and KCL. These were followed by sessions in smaller groups called ‘Global Action Teams’ (GAT) and mine had 19 people from eight different countries. Our difficult job was to recognise mental health issues and well-being issues in our own schools and communities, and come up with one project that would help address the issues of ALL the communities. The difficult part was that all these countries were very different - culturally, socially, economically, and geographically. Issues were many, and needed to be prioritised to change what genuinely required help. For example: in my community, substance abuse leading to mental ill-health would be alarming, but Michaela (from the United States) was pressed to address chronic depression. Therefore, in order to recognise our GAT’s responsibility, it required discussions, colliding perspectives and debate. Filled with learning, socialising, productivity, it was undoubtedly the most engaging week of my life. All participating students were either pursuing IBDP or had just graduated IB, hence the like-mindedness that was present helped us work better. Listening to stories of students from around the world, it made me realise that I was merely ‘surviving’ IB. After the conference I’ve learnt to not view it as a threat, but as a challenge. It is often seen that teenagers are victims of mental health issues as a result of academic pressure, but by embracing our learner profile and by actively participating in our CAS activities, we can successfully turn the cause into a cure. I will be working over the coming year to implement our GAT strategy at the Academy, and I’m excited!
Moiz Rajwani: Video Spotlight
Through the inquiry-based International Baccalaureate curriculum, the Aga Khan Academies aim to develop young individuals who will have the capacity to lead and to build strong civil democratic societies in the future.
Hear from one of our alumni, Moiz Rajwani, Class of 2018, and see how we have been turning this vision into reality at the Academies. Moiz was awarded a scholarship at Western University in Ontario, Canada and enrolled in September 2018.
Maryam: Becoming a better teacher
The Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP) is one of the Aga Khan Academies’ landmark teacher development initiatives. In this interview with Kamini Menon at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, TPP participant Maryam talks about the TPP’s unique aspects and her experience with the programme.
Please tell us a little bit about your background.
I’m a part of the Teacher Preparation Programme in Hyderabad. This is my fifth year in teaching, and previously I worked for a Teach for India school in Delhi teaching 48 amazing girls. When my fellowship with Teach for India was over, I applied to the Academy, and here I am.
What made you join the Academy and inspired you to come here?
My previous experience as a Teach for India Fellow made me feel like I wanted to something more than just being a teacher. So I was looking for an option post-fellowship that shared a similar mindset or similar values. When I read about the Academies, the vision really interested me as well as the whole inclusive policy: giving a chance to anyone coming from any background and making sure that we provide them this idea of excellence in education. That was something that really inspired me, and so I joined the Academy.
Talk about the Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP) and where you are in that journey.
The Teacher Preparation Programme is the initiative of the Academies to make sure that we have home-grown teachers who become IB educators. This is a great initiative. This is my ninth month into the programme, and I teach in a classroom, I research, and do a lot of things at the same time. I am getting mentored by experts and improving my pedagogy every day.
Can you explain the structure of TPP? How it is organised and what does it involve?
The programme is an intense 18-month long process, and you do things in phases. In Phase One, we were in a classroom, paired with a mentor, teaching 20% of the time. Now, we are in Phase Two, and I have to teach 50% of my time in a classroom. But it’s not just the teaching. We also have to write an action research paper, which is crucial to the whole programme. Another thing which is important is the Problem-Based Learning Sessions, which are a great way to reflect on who you are as a person, not just as a teacher. In these sessions, we meet three times in a week, and we bring together all our research findings and what we have collected, and we progress to the next learning target. We work on this in groups, and then we get to reflect and apply that in a classroom at the same time.
Can you share two aspects of the programme that you find particularly unique or helpful?
For me, the most interesting part was problem-based learning. It takes a lot of patience to think in a broader way about a problem. The problem sets are given to us – then you create your learning targets, and the whole group researches with different objectives. That makes you really responsible, that improves your research skills. At the same time, it teaches you how to collaborate with members of the group. Another part that I find really interesting and at the same time challenging is my action research piece. It’s not just research; the action part is the most challenging part because you have to reflect on your own practice. For example, I am doing something on inquiry right now, but it’s not just inquiry – it’s “why inquiry in an IB classroom?” or “why even think of those big theories?” So, this has made me more reflective, it has made me more thorough with my work. At the same time, if and when I fail, it’s alright to seek advice and it’s alright to go back to my mentor to ask why this did not work in a classroom. Both problem-based research and the action research, I find that these are pushing me to become a better teacher.
How would you evaluate the model of mentorship that’s in place within the TPP?
Sandra is our mentor, and she is a really experienced Ontario teacher. She has streamlined the programme, she gave it more structure and depth. When you work with Sandra, you are not intimidated by her. You are working with an expert who knows so much, but at the same time she gives you a chance to really apply yourself. She is a mentor for me when I am doing anything in the classroom – she is always providing me with constant feedback on my pedagogy and on my action research paper. Even in the intense Problem-Based Learning Sessions, where it gets a little crazy at times, Sandra is always there to nudge you in the right direction so you come to a conclusion.
How do you and your colleagues in the TPP work together and collaborate?
We are a very diverse group. Sitting with all of them has made me a better teacher in so many ways. It is not easy to admit sometimes that you don’t know things, but I get to learn from these people because their experience, our discussions, and the help we give each other is really great. We also collaborate outside the classroom – for example, if I have a doubt or find something challenging, I go to one of these colleagues and ask for their help. They are always there for me. We really push each other to reflect, to ask the right questions, which makes you think.
Can you talk more about the process of reflection that you have in your TPP group?
For us, reflection is about making yourself vulnerable in front of the whole group. It is not easy – it is not at all easy. We don’t reflect on a superficial level; we have to really apply ourselves in the entire process. When create our reflections, we have to share them with the whole group – and the group knows and understands who you are and gives you feedback. They push you to think along certain lines, and our mentors force us to think about the way we think – it becomes more about metacognition. The whole idea of learning from someone is that you have to be vulnerable and sometimes even fail, and then admit that you failed. When you draft that experience into a reflection, it makes you a better teacher. And definitely a better person.
How do you think the TPP has made you a better person in actual fact?
The way the TPP is designed, you become a reflective practitioner – that’s the goal! You teach in a classroom and you know that it’s not just a physical space, it’s much more than that. You cannot teach in isolation – you have to collaborate with other people, you have to go and ask for help. At the culmination, you really will become a better teacher. It’s a rigorous process, it’s an intense process, it’s a very reflective process. But the goal is that, ultimately, you will be the kind of teacher you want to be as well as an effective teacher.
Can you give us an example of how you’ve applied something you’ve learnt through the TPP in a classroom setting?
Right now, I am doing an action research, and a huge chunk of this is based on inquiry-based learning in a classroom. I’m teaching grade 6, and the unit I was dealing with was “did they live like us?” It is a lot about civilisations and the way people lived and interacted with their environment. All the research that I did during the Problem-Based Learning Sessions and my action research, I applied it in this classroom setting. I created the lesson plan and then got the feedback from my mentors. Then it gave me a chance to reflect on my practice: sometimes I tend to go a little overboard, and I got to see if my plan would work out. This is how you become a better teacher.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add about the TPP?
I’ll say, for the whole process, you have to be very open. You have to be open-minded to get into this process. It’s not easy just to acknowledge that you’re going though 18 months of training – you might feel intimated, or that your prior experience doesn’t matter. But that’s not the point. The point is to become a better teacher. If that is your goal, then this programme will work for you. The way this programme is designed is rigorous and beautiful. The most important point depends on you: what do you want to take away from this. And there is a lot, if you are really open to exploring.
Onwards and Upwards
Congratulations to the Class of 2022! We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see what you do next. As we welcome our new graduating class to our alumni community, we asked four distinct graduates from the Aga Khan Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad about their journeys and aspirations.
Imra Dawoodani, AKA Hyderabad
Plans to join the University of California, Berkeley for a BSc in electrical engineering and computer science.
What drives you? What is your superpower?
The impact of experiences. Experiences have moulded the most intricate details of the world as I see it. Whether new, old, unexpected, or a planned experience, each circumstance prompts the creation of a new approach within me, defining my ability to adapt to a multitude of situations. Sometimes it outlines my path, in other cases it intrigues me to look for one.
How did the Academy impact you?
It's been a journey. Exposing me to every emotion one could feel, pushing me forward every second because life never stops, and opening routes to a variety of opportunities, the Academy has thoroughly done its part in making me realise that I'm the only one who can take a call for myself.
You’re a new addition to the crayon box; what color would you be and why?
Grey may not seem like the ideal choice, but it depicts my conflicted self. I'm the one trying to figure out light and darkness, ebbs and flows, the balance between emotions and practicality. A simpler derivative to this conclusion would be my utterly annoying indecisiveness. I'd be the one to mix sushi and dal however horrendous it sounds because I just cannot choose what I want to eat today.
Jacintha Thota, AKA Hyderabad
Plans to join the London School of Economics and Political Science for a BSc in politics and economics
What drives you?
Two things that have driven me for a very long time are fascination and long-term goals. I am someone who just loves the idea of learning new things. Whatever I put my mind to is always driven by a sense of love, a sense of wonder, whether that's my academics or my extra curriculars. That fascination keeps me going. When it comes to long-term goals, I do know I want to work in the field of economics when it comes to equity or sustainability and that has shaped my interests and path.
How did the Academy impact you?
The most profound impact has been that it has shown me the world is so much bigger than the bubble that you grew up in. It brought together people from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. It has shaped my goals to be community oriented. And it has shown me that being a good person is having the right mindset and being tolerant to new ideas and new people.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
COVID-19 lockdowns and the kind of terror it put around the world when I was doing my DP journey meant it was incredibly hard to stay motivated when people were literally dying around you by the thousands. It left me with a sense of cynicism and feeling really demotivated. But actually, coming back to the academy and being around people again reminded me just how much I valued this community. It definitely helped overcome the sense of dread I had started to feel during those 18 months or so.
Khushi Bajaria, AKA Mombasa
Plans to join the University of Miami to study health science (pre-med
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What was your best mistake?
I faced the challenge of making friends because of the way I felt the need to please my friends continuously. However, as I focused time on my goals, I eventually became part of a diverse group of friend groups. I also first thought it was a mistake that I ignored the warning from my personal project coordinator to not go ahead with my idea as it may impact my grades if I fail in it, however, as I believed in the impact it could make and communicated with the right people, I was able to be successful in it and make a greater impact than expected.
How would you describe success and what do you hope to achieve in the next 5 years?
Success is a never-ending mountain with large rocks of joy and glee that help one stay stable, and numerous smaller rocks that keep pushing one to slip backward in their journey of meeting their expectations. The soil of the mountain is then like family and friends that support and help piece part of this journey together to make success what it is. I hope to have completed my bachelor's degree in health sciences and my first year of medical school. I also hope to have expanded my project (teaching Grade 5 to 7 students in how to create and help an eco-friendly microscope). I hope by then, I shall have taught the developmental process in more than fifteen schools in different countries through a team internationally.
Mishal Lalani, AKA Mombasa
Plans to join Middlebury College to major in microbiology and biochemistry and a minor in geography and sociology
What are your plans after graduation?
Firstly, I plan to sleep, have fun and just wind down all the stress that we have been put through for the past two years. I also look forward to and plan to spend time with my family before I leave for university in August, as well as the friends who live around me. Similarly, I hope to do a short internship at the Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa just to grasp the healthcare environment as that is what I hope to pursue in the future.
What drives you? What is your superpower?
What has particularly always driven me is the community around me. Seeing the community improve when I help out or different community projects help out makes me want to go the extra mile and do more.
How did the Academy impact you?
The Academy made me an all-rounded individual and made me a global citizen. Being the first cohort to go on the exchange programme, I felt very privileged to be at the Academy and to have access to such amazing opportunities that will indeed be spoken about and recognised for the rest of my life. I made the most special memories at the Academy. Most importantly, the Academy taught me that no matter who I am or where I come from, I can make a change if I want to. This was the biggest lesson for me, and I believe it will take me far in life.
