Junior School teacher selected to represent Mozambique in the US

Grade 4 Teacher Pinto Belo from the Aga Khan Academy Maputo recently attended the Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) in the United States of America, where he represented Mozambique.  

PAYLP is a three-week intense academic programme offered by the US State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for African students aged 15-18, in which they learn technical skills in civic engagement and leadership, with a component of cultural exchange and an overview of US history and institutions. For Mozambique, Pinto was selected to supervise a Mozambican student to the US, and mentor her in topics, such as civic education, climate resiliency, conflict resolution, economic development, entrepreneurship and respect for diversity. 

Pinto, who visited the US for the first time, was selected for his strong leadership skills and contributions to the community.  

"During this programme, I have improved my leadership skills and also learnt a lot about respect for diversity, American geography and history,” Pinto said. 

Additionally, Pinto is eager to share the knowledge and skill he gained during this programme with his colleagues at the Academy. 

“I have shared my experiences of the programme with my colleagues at the Academy, and we are working together to see how best we can implement this in the Primary Years Programme and across the school community,” Pinto said. “I am also revisiting my own teaching and learning methods to accommodate students' needs, in particular the cultural aspect where everyone should feel included and respected.”