Three years old and on the verge of expanding, a programme that allows exceptional students from Tajikistan to attend the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya is fostering an exciting dialogue between countries and cultures, benefiting students as well as their friends, teachers, families and home communities.
December break
The Aga Khan Academy Maputo will be closed from 17 December 2021 to 10 January 2022 for December break, with classes resuming on 11 January 2022. More information regarding the return to campus will be shared with parents in January.
Taxonomy family:
Partnerships
Each Aga Khan Academy benefits from the combined experience of the network of Academies as well as from partnerships with other global networks and institutions. These linkages enable the development and support of world-class standards of excellence.
Aga Khan Development Network
The Aga Khan Academies are one of the key education programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), whose institutions are engaged in a wide array of development initiatives.
AKDN draws on over a century of experience in education from pre-primary to tertiary levels, and includes more than 240 schools and two universities. Students and faculty at each Aga Khan Academy are able to access the intellectual and programmatic resources of AKDN institutions, including the Aga Khan University, the University of Central Asia, the Aga Khan Education Services, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The Academies also work in close partnership with AKDN institutions and programmes around the world to provide practical experience opportunities through internships for students and alumni.
Other leading institutions
The Aga Khan Academies have established formal partnerships with governments, universities and other leading organisations to ensure high standards of practice and foster innovation. Some of the areas that Academies’ partnerships support include best practices in teaching and learning, innovative approaches to teacher education, development of quality campus facilities, supplementary education opportunities for students and access to higher education for talented Academies graduates in need. The Academies have also established partnerships with Ministries and Departments of Education to help strengthen education provision in the countries where our schools are located. Current partners include:
Agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network | International Baccalaureate | Government of Ontario, Canada | Agence Française de Développement | The University of British Columbia Concordia University | California State University, Northridge | Ryerson University | Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya | Ministry of Education and Human Development, Mozambique | Department of School Education, Telangana, India
In addition, the Academies collaborate with a number of schools and other organisations locally and internationally in areas of mutual interest and to share knowledge and experience.
The IB network
AKDN has a formalised relationship with the International Baccalaureate (IB) through a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.
As IB World Schools, the Academies are closely linked to a network of dynamic IB institutions in over 125 countries, united by a common vision for education and global standards. Guided and facilitated by the IB, this network uses face-to-face conferences and workshops as well as technology to enable teachers and school leaders to gain from each other's experience and to share projects and initiatives.
Ensuring world-class standards
Being connected to these global networks and institutions enables the Academies to test and validate their standards of excellence. These partnerships contribute to the quality of the curriculum and professional development programmes, and ensure that the Academies maintain and enhance their high international standing.
Quick Facts About the Academy
The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad (established 2011)
Location: South of the city of Hyderabad, near the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
Campus size: 100 acres of land allocated by the state government
Campus design and construction:
- total built area: approximately 500,000 square feet
- master facilities planners for the Academies: Sasaki Associates Inc. of Boston, USA
- campus design: award-winning architect Bimal Patel of HCP in Ahmedabad, India
- campus construction: Shahpoorji Pallonji
Curriculum
The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School
IB programmes:
- Primary Years Programme: grades 1–5;
- Middle Years Programme: grades 6–10;
- Diploma Programme: grades 11–12
Aga Khan Curricular Strands, implemented across the curriculum:
Ethics, Pluralism, Cultures (with an emphasis on Muslim civlisations), Governance and Civil Society, and Economics for Development
Staff and students
Faculty numbers: 8 senior management, 63 Senior School faculty, 19 Junior School faculty, 7 working in both Senior & Junior Schools, 42 administrative staff
Number of students currently enrolled: 632 day and residential students in total: 140 day students in the Junior School; 492 students in the Senior School, with 245 in residence
Numbers of students and teachers at full capacity: 750 students and 90 teachers, with over 40% of students receiving some form of financial aid
First IB Diploma Programme graduating class: 2014
Residential students
Number of residential students: 245 currently, with full capacity of 300 students
Number of students per room: Between 2 and 4, with second year Diploma Programme students in single/double rooms
Residential facilities: Student lounge with multimedia and entertainment equipment, study areas, laundry facilities, dining hall
Campus facilities
Sports facilities: 25-metre swimming pool, diving pool, gym, two regulation-sized basketball courts, three cricket pitches with net practice facilities, two tennis courts, four squash courts, athletics track, junior play area, hockey field, training field, 2.5 km cross-country track
Arts facilities: Rooms for fine arts, music, dance; individual music practice booths; music recording area; amphitheatre performance space
Academic areas: Junior School classrooms, Senior School classrooms, science and computer laboratories, library and resource centre, arts facilities, music and dance studios
Residential buildings: 6 residential blocks: 3 male and 3 female; 6 dorm parent apartments in each block. Each block has a central atrium, lounge area, patio and laundry facilities.
Health and Wellness Centre: 12 beds and a full-time, qualified nurse
Professional Development Centre
The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad is home to a Professional Development Centre for the advancement of teachers. The primary objective of this centre is to provide professional development that will benefit the wider school system in India.
Programming began in June 2010 with a Professional Learning for Educators Series for teachers in local government, independent and not-for profit schools.
The Aga Khan Academies network
18 Academies are planned in Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.
3 Academies are currently operating: Mombasa, Kenya (opened 2003); Hyderabad, India (opened 2011); and Maputo, Mozambique (opened 2013).
When complete, the network will represent 2,000 teachers and 14,000 students (boys and girls), with 1,400 graduates annually.
Institutional partnerships include:
Agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network; the International Baccalaureate, universities including the University of British Columbia, Concordia University, Ryerson University, University of California - Los Angeles, California State University - Northridge
Government partnerships include:
The Province of Ontario, Canada; the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya; the Ministry of Education and Human Development, Mozambique; the French Development Agency (AFD); the French Mozambican Cultural Centre (CCFM - Centro Cultural Franco-Mozambicano); the Department of School Education, Telangana, India
Download the Quick Facts sheet here. 
AKA-Hyderabad-Quick-Facts.pdf
Articles of Interest
The articles listed below have been drawn from the Aga Khan Academies newsletter. They include feature stories and information on aspects of the Aga Khan Academies programme.
Subscribe to the Aga Khan Academies newsletter
Register for assessments
The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, a programme of the Aga Khan Development, is the first in a global network of 18 planned Academies.
We select a diverse group of students with exceptional academic and leadership potential, offering financial assistance where needed. We offer them a world-class International Baccalaureate (IB) education on a residential campus with outstanding facilities, preparing them to make a positive contribution to society.
Through our inquiry-based approach to learning, students develop independent and collaborative learning skills, problem-solving and critical thinking. We also ensure that students develop their gifts and talents through a wide range of sports, arts and cultural activities, nurturing the holistic development of each child. Our teachers are highly qualified, experienced and committed to their ongoing professional development.
Register below for an assessment in Nairobi on 28 November
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 the 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 in the USA to study 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 has 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 am the only one who can take a call for myself.
You are a new addition to the crayon box; what colour would you be and why?
Grey may not seem like the ideal choice, but it depicts my conflicted self. I am 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 would 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 in the UK to study 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 extracurriculars. 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 grow up in. It brought together people from different cultures and socio-economic 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 of 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 Diploma Programme journey meant it was incredibly hard to stay motivated when people were suffering 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 in the USA 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 it with the right people, I was able to be successful and make a greater impact than expected.
How would you describe success and what do you hope to achieve in the next five 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 backwards 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 over the next five years. I also hope to have expanded my project (teaching Grade 5 to 7 students how to create an eco-friendly microscope). I hope by then, I shall have taught the developmental process in more than 15 schools in different countries through an international team.
Mishal Lalani, AKA Mombasa
Plans to join Middlebury College in the USA to study microbiology and biochemistry as well as geography and sociology.
What are your plans after graduation?
Firstly, I plan to sleep, have fun and just wind down all the stress over 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 participate in different community projects 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 Student 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.
Marrabenta Day Celebration
To celebrate Marrabenta Day on Friday, 11 February 2022, the Aga Khan Academy Maputo invites all students to come to school in local traditional clothes. The Academy will host an assembly and several activities to celebrate this local tradition with our entire school community.
Taxonomy family:
Garba night celebrated at the Academy
Swahili Pride at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa
Newly elected Student Representative Council members for 2021 – 2022 sworn in
