Why Choose the Aga Khan Academy, Dar-es-Salaam
Admission to the Aga Khan Academy, Dar-es-Salaam, is based on merit. This is broadly defined as exceptional intellectual potential, leadership, a commitment to learning, strong sense of integrity, and the desire to work towards and instigate positive change.
As part of a network of Academies, we aim to provide exceptional students, from all backgrounds, with an outstanding education.
We seek students representing a diverse range of economic, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We look for students who have the ability and motivation to excel academically and who are or will be capable of demonstrating leadership in community service and other co-curricular pursuits.
"In my view, the most important thing a student can learn in any educational institution is the ability to keep on learning."We are more than just schools that strive to give their students a sound academic foundation. We emphasise the importance of academic excellence while instilling in students a sense of civic responsibility and the desire, ability and commitment to give back to their communities locally and globally.
Our educational approach measures success not just by academic achievement, but how students apply what they know to make the world a better place.
The overall educational programme is designed to foster students’ curiosity while providing them with the skills and intellectual confidence to engage with what they do not know and find answers and solutions.
Theresa Urist: A passion for education
An Interview with Theresa Urist, Global Director of University Counselling at the Aga Khan Academies
Theresa Urist has always loved to learn. Growing up in a rural community in New York state, where many of her classmates did not go on to college, her thirst for education led her to Stanford, where she earned a B.A. with Honours in American Studies and tutored high school students in her spare time. She realised that she loved teaching as much as she loved to learn, so she secured a spot in the Master of Education programme at Harvard University before becoming a high school teacher and, later, a university counsellor.
After more than two decades as a counsellor in the United States, where she directed college counselling at three different schools, Theresa’s desire to support students from poor communities led her to the Aga Khan Academies, where she became the Global Director of University Counselling in 2015. Her role is essential to the mission of the Academies, which aim to produce effective, ethical leaders with the skills and knowledge to support positive development in their societies. As the networks’ university expert, she coordinates the university counselling process so that the students are admitted to and select universities where they will flourish in their chosen fields.
Aga Khan Academies writer Alia Dharssi sat down for a conversation with Theresa about her passion for education, her work at the Academies and what makes her tick. Their conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Alia: Can you tell me about yourself and how you wound up becoming a university counsellor?
Theresa: I was born and raised in a very small town on Long Island in New York State. I wanted to be a journalist as a kid and wound up writing for my college daily newspaper, where I had a 1am news deadline. It was crazy and frenetic. I realised that’s not what I wanted to do, but I had also begun tutoring at a nearby school and I really, really loved working with the students. That experience put me in the direction of education. I earned a Masters of Education from Harvard and became an English and history teacher. In 1995, I answered the call to become an interviewer for Harvard undergraduate admissions. I loved talking to students about their future plans and goals during the interviews, so I put the pieces together and entered the field of university counselling.
Alia: What makes you passionate about education?
Theresa: The way I see it, education is the key to social mobility. When students – like the ones on full financial aid at the Academies who are selected through our talent identification programme – become educated, it’s something that doesn’t just benefit them. It benefits their family and their community and has a ripple effect. I see it as a way that entire communities can get themselves out of poverty in one generation. Education is the most concentrated way you can effect lasting social change. That’s what gets me up in the morning every single day to do the work that I do.
Alia: Have you always thought about education in this way?
Theresa: Education is always something that has been at the forefront of my mind. My parents were well educated, but I grew up in a very rural community where a lot of people had not studied beyond the secondary level. So, when I went off to university at Stanford 3,000 miles away from home, it was an eye-opening experience. I was surrounded by very motivated people with a lot of interesting ideas. I had been a big fish in a little pond in my secondary school because I was somebody who was very hungry for education. I tried to access a lot of educational opportunities despite the fact that I attended a regional, rural public high school that did not offer the most enriching academic experience. College was the first time in my life I was surrounded by students who had had very different life experiences, who had gone to schools that were very academically rigorous, who were incredibly curious. It was vibrant and transformative.
Alia: That sounds like an amazing experience. You started working at the Academies after two decades of working as a counsellor in the US. What inspired you to take the job?
Theresa: When I heard about the job, it seemed like a perfect fusion of my interests. The mission of the Academies in terms of providing educational opportunities for students regardless of their means is one that spoke to my heart. In two decades of counselling, I had gone from working in college prep, private schools to working at an urban public school with very low-income students. There are so many talented kids whose socioeconomic background prevents them from accessing very good academic opportunities in places where they’re going to flourish. And so, in my own job search, I was looking for an organisation that provided such opportunities for students in need. I was also interested in international education – in addition to being a US citizen, I’m also a Swiss citizen and I’ve spent a good amount of time overseas – so this position really spoke to me.
Alia: What kinds of struggles have you seen students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds face when it comes to getting a good education?
Theresa: In my last role in the US, I was working in an urban public charter school with low-income students from all over the world. The majority of my students were first generation, meaning their parents had immigrated to the US. They did not speak English at home and they would be the first in their families to access higher education. I helped them navigate the system. Many of their families came from countries where poverty was a problem. Just getting to the US was a big hurdle. In addition, education is very, very expensive in the US, so it was a challenge for those students to figure out how to finance their education.
Alia: That sounds quite different from your role at the Academy. How do the two experiences compare?
Theresa: I certainly have a lengthy background in university counselling, but when I was based in one single school, it was quite limiting in a lot of ways. My work at the Academies requires a much larger scope in terms of finding what universities are a best fit for particular students. I had good working knowledge of US and Canadian schools coming in. What’s newer for me is some of the other schools beyond that, particularly schools in the UK. It’s given me a greater global perspective on education in terms of the different programmes that exist and the ways in which universities are trying to position themselves globally.
Alia: Can you tell me about your trips to the Academies? What was your first impression?
Theresa: My first visit was to Hyderabad. I found the students compelling and the facilities stunning. Everything exists in the service of students and forwarding their academic and personal growth. When I first made a visit to the Mombasa school, I found the level of arts that students were doing and the level of introspection that went into what they were creating was incredibly deep and heartfelt. It was more advanced than what I’d seen at other schools. A lot of the students’ art projects dealt with issues of social justice and presented very clear messages that made me hopeful. Seeing that level of attention given to something that is often peripheral at other schools speaks volumes about the Academies.
Alia: Absolutely. Why is your role important to the Academies’ vision?
Theresa: As we grow as a network, we want to make sure we are offering a consistent quality of university counselling services across campuses, so that’s a really important part of my work. We want colleges and universities across the globe to know who we are and why they should admit our students and fund them, so a big part of my job is conducting outreach to universities and colleges. When a university takes a risk on a student and that student does well, then it knows that it has a viable academic candidate and will admit more and more students from our schools. My job is to try to create pipelines for students at academically rigorous universities that recognise who we are and why our students are so interesting and compelling.
I also conduct some professional development like workshops for faculty members where they receive training about best practices for writing recommendations for students. Both campuses are now on the Naviance platform, which is an online portal that allows students to track all their applications and send documents to universities electronically. We also track data on the admissions process on the platform.
Alia: That’s important work, but now for a less serious question. What do you do when you’re not busy counselling?
Theresa: I love to cook and bake. In particular, I like making fancy cakes and tortes. Every year, during the holidays, I create a gingerbread house. They’re not basic ones; I have architectural plans. Last year, I made a church with candy stained glass windows. The year before, it was a Victorian house. Every year I do a different structure.
Alia: That’s quite a hobby. Do you eat the houses?
Theresa: Yes, eventually I do. My friend’s kids help me decorate the house, it stays up and then it gets destroyed. So that’s one of my hobbies. To balance my baking interests, I was a distance runner and had run a bunch of marathons, but I had to stop after an injury. But I still really like to be active. I like hiking and skiing and being outside.
Alia: Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Theresa: I love the work I do. I feel like mine is a really important role, so I’m just very grateful for the opportunity to work on behalf of the Academies.
Laboni Banerjee: cultivating community wherever she goes
Laboni was immediately attracted to AKA Hyderabad because of the vision and mission of His Highness the Aga Khan for the Aga Khan Academies. She found the values of the Academy to be more aligned with her own ethos than the school she was previously working at before joining the Academy.
“Over the course of 10 years at the Academy, I have found myself a part of a vibrant and caring community,” Laboni said.
When joining the Academy in 2010, Laboni recalls it being a much smaller school then, especially the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). There were only seven PYP teachers and the Junior School principal at the time, Diana Smith who started the PYP at the Academy, along with Sreelatha Kumar, who was the PYP coordinator at the time and is now the Junior School principal. AKA Hyderabad received the Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme authorisation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The latter year is when Laboni remembers seeing notable growth in both students and faculty at the Academy.
“Early years in the PYP were busy,” Laboni said. “During this time, I was also focusing on identifying myself as a member of the PYP team and growing with the school.
Over the course of her time at AKA Hyderabad, Laboni has taken on various roles. Along with being a Grade 3 teacher, Laboni took a role in the PYP reading and writing assessment in which she collected evidence and data. Laboni also helped with the Admissions Department and was responsible for checking the vocabulary of students applying to the Academy. Reflecting back, Laboni said she greatly appreciated this role because it allowed her to build a special relationship with parents and students from the very beginning of their Academy journey.
“While working with the Admissions Department I valued meeting a large number of people who were enthusiastic and eager to learn more about the PYP in the early years.”
From 2012–2014 Laboni helped with AKA Hyderabad’s Outreach Teacher Training programme, which is a core part of Academies’ Professional Development Centre (PDC) that trains local teachers around the community in various subject areas and enhances their pedagogical skills.
A few years ago, Laboni also had the opportunity to travel to the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya where she truly began to appreciate the pluralistic approach to education and diverse cultures and backgrounds the Academies values and emphasises. During her time in Mombasa, Laboni met Titus Mutemi, who was a recent graduate of the Teacher Preparation Programme – a programme provided by the Academies that trains teachers to become IB educators in their communities – and is now the PYP coordinator at AKA Mombasa. Laboni recalls Titus being filled with great enthusiasm and eagerness as he wanted to know everything about her class including the assessment techniques, books she has students read, any material created for the class and much more.
“Partnering with Laboni was such an enriching experience,” Titus said. “Her flexibility and open-mindedness made our collaboration easier and enjoyable. Years have gone by and yet her enthusiasm and unique way of engaging with the young learners is still memorable.”
When AKA Hyderabad transitioned to online learning in March 2020 due to COVID-19, Laboni said there were a few challenges she faced but was able to overcome due to the support she received from the Academy.
“In the PYP we have always used technology as a learning and teaching tool. However, when we shifted to complete online teaching, building the bridge with new students I had never met before was the biggest challenge. With physical teaching, I was able to bond with my students on a personal level, but this changed with distance learning.
However, the Academy always supported me and made me feel comfortable working on a virtual platform with a new group of learners. Assigning me to be a part of various online professional development sessions was immense support as it helped me develop my understanding of the application of various teaching tools. The virtual learning and teaching also enabled me to look at my own teaching philosophy through a different lens and reimagine my teaching strategies. Now, it is my greatest joy and top priority to see my students online and have personal conversations with them.”
Laboni said she cannot imagine her future without the Academy being a part of it. She is always involving herself in different roles throughout the Academy in order to connect with more students beyond the PYP and see how they turn their passions into reality. Laboni also said she is fortunate to be a part of a community that is continuously supportive and where she is encouraged to grow each day as an educator and individual.
“The greatest part about delivering education at the Academy and being a part of its community is that every day is a learning experience for me. I am always excited to see my students become open-minded young adults, chasing their greatest passions in life and thinking about how to make the world a better place for all.”
Why Choose the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka
Admission to the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka is based on merit. This is broadly defined as exceptional intellectual potential, leadership, a commitment to learning, strong sense of integrity, and the desire to work towards and instigate positive change.
As part of a network of Academies, we have been established to provide exceptional students from all backgrounds with an outstanding education.
We seek students representing a diverse range of economic, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We look for students who have the ability and motivation to excel academically and who demonstrate leadership in community service and other co-curricular pursuits.
We are more than just residential schools that strive to give their students a sound academic foundation. We emphasise the importance of academic excellence while instilling in students a sense of civic responsibility and the desire, ability and commitment to give back to their communities locally and globally.
"In my view, the most important thing a student can learn in any educational institution is the ability to keep on learning."
Our educational approach measures success not just by academic achievement, but by how students apply what they know to make the world a better place. The overall educational programme is designed to foster students’ curiosity while providing them with the skills and intellectual confidence to engage with what they do not know and find answers and solutions.
Community Service
Community service is an overarching and major facet of student education and experience at the Academies. Incorporated into student life and the curriculum, community service extends the educational experience beyond the classroom, informing students of the real-world implications of their studies. Through community projects with local organisations and groups, students gain a sense of the interconnectedness of their education with the world around them.
Students can participate in a variety of structured community initiatives and internships to learn about their place in the world.
By partnering with local Aga Khan Development Network agencies, students learn first-hand about the operations of an organisation and work towards making tangible contributions to the agencies.
In addition, community engagement provides an understanding of broad concepts such as human rights, dignity and autonomy, while emphasising the ethos of leaving the world a better place.
Examples of service projects from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa:
Coast Rural Support Programme: Tree planting at Mtaa community reservoir. The reservoir was created as a community project. The outreach project involved planting 700 indigenous seedlings around the reservoir.
East African Quality in Early Learning: Creation of the Fun Reading Day initiative to promote early grade reading. Inspired by the common 1:10 ratio of students to books in local public primary schools, the first project was to collect books to establish a library at Ng’ombeni Primary School. Through a book drive and other community projects, students collected books and catalogued and prepared them for library use.
Our Junior School and Diploma Programme (DP) students visited the Ng’ombeni Primary School for group reading sessions. This project was then handed over to upcoming DP students to continue.
Education for Marginalised Children in Kenya (EMACK): Student’s council training workshop at Longo Primary School. Sarrah Sheikh came to know the Longo Primary School through her summer placement service. She went on to assist EMACK in establishing student leadership bodies, beginning with Longo Primary School. Topics covered went from effective leadership to communication tools, and the difference between prefects and elected student leaders. Three weeks after this project, the Kenyan government announced the phasing out of the prefect system and the introduction of elected student councils.
Madrasa Resource Centre: School painting project at Mpirani Nursery School. After visiting a school in disrepair, the DP students decided that a bright place was needed for the students to learn. They mobilised their fellow students to create bright learning materials and to repaint the school.
Admissions Forms to Download
If you are having difficulty accessing our online enquiry service, you can also download the package and forms here.
Age requirements
Please see the age requirements that will apply over the following years for entry to the Academy.
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Junior School
Years 1–6: Primary Years Programme
Students entering year 1 should have completed at least three years of Nursery School and must be 6 years of age by 31 December of the year of entry.
All prospective students must demonstrate a potential for high academic achievement and demonstrate competency in literacy and numeracy. Each applicant from year 2-5 must sit a standard assessment in logic, English (reading and writing), mathematics and creativity and supplemented by personal interviews with key members of the Junior School staff.
Senior School
Years 7–10: Middle Years Programme
All students applying for a place in the Senior School must have attained high scholastic achievement in their former educational institutions. They must also demonstrate a keen interest and participation in community service projects outside the classroom and/or extracurricular activities such as sporting activities, clubs, arts and music.
All applicants must schedule an appointment for a standard assessment test in logic, English, mathematics and problem-solving at the school in addition to providing past student grade reports and certificates of achievement. Applicants will also have personal interviews with key members of the Senior School staff as part of their application process.
Diploma Programme
Years 11–12: Diploma Programme
Applicants for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa must have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement (with a minimum of an average B grade from their current school) as well as a proven record of civic mindedness and participation in community projects.
The application process requires prospective students to undergo a standardised assessment test in English, mathemathics and logic as well as an interview with IB Diploma Programme coordinators and key members of Senior School staff.
New students will not be accepted in the second year of the diploma programme.
Academy tours are held regularly throughout the school year. For more information about applying to the Academy, please contact the admissions office. You can call the admissions team on their direct lines: +254 (0) 736 200 008 or +254 (0) 733 121 927.
PYP Exhibition Showcases Students’ Passions
Academy PYP Network sharing session
Saturday 3rd Sept, 2016: The Academy Junior School is hosting a session on IB standards and practices for fellow PYP educators in Hyderabad. Academy teachers will take part in similar sharing sessions on PYP exhibitions and assessments in other network schools.
Dania Quadri (Class of 2014): Giving back as an alumna
“Being part of an open-minded community that encouraged challenging what we were taught, the willingness to accept one another and inspire each other to grow constantly, was very refreshing. I credit these experiences for much of whom I am today.”
– Dania Quadri, Class of 2014
She was also instrumental in helping to organise the Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) in September 2016.
“As I aspire to be a doctor, I feel that it is necessary to acquire experience in a role that demands care, patience and a great deal of understanding,” she explains. “I knew teaching and organising the MHAW would contribute to my personal growth and career aspirations but it would also allow me to give back to my school – something very important to me.”
Through MHAW, Dania was able to contribute to reducing the stigma associated with mental illness within the Academy community.
“As a student myself, I know how hard it is for students who are mentally unwell to cope with studies and social life at school," she said. "I wanted to spread awareness about it being perfectly normal to feel mentally unwell, to know the difference between clinical illness and just a rough emotional phase, and to encourage students to seek help and advice if they are feeling low.”
Her internship made her realise she was more passionate about education than she thought. She particularly enjoyed the responsibility an educator has in developing a student’s personality and knowledge.
“As a teacher, it was interesting to observe school from the other side," she said. "Spending time with all the teachers made me realise how much they actually care for their students. The support is incredible at the Academy and different learning abilities are not only understood but truly valued.”
