Meet the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka's newly elected Student Council and what they have been up to so far.
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The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has been awarded IB status by the International Baccalaureate
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Recent News
20 September 2024
Recently, Ayesha Mehjabeen Rahgir, a Grade 10 student at the Academy visited the US to take part in the Exeter Summer programme at the Philips Exeter Academy.
AKA Mombasa organises first cross-campus Peace Summit
AKA Mombasa organises first cross-campus Peace Summit
AKA Mombasa hosts 10th annual Peace Summit
AKA Mombasa organises first cross-campus Peace Summit
AKA Mombasa organises first cross-campus Peace Summit
AKA students attend this year's DMZ Basecamp competition
Kashyap Gohel (Class of 2011): Providing solutions to improve the world
"In developed countries many good ideas are funded while great ideas in developing countries are missed out on. I would focus on education and provide forums on creativity and innovation that listen to everyone’s ideas. This would go a long way to improving the planet," says Kashyap Pravin Gohel, a graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, when asked what he would focus on to improve the lives of people if he had all the resources at his disposal.
Kashyap Gohel has been pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture programme at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Nairobi, Kenya since graduating from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2011. "My top marks at the Aga Khan Academy earned me a government scholarship which is about 85% of the annual fees for my architecture course of six years," says Kashyap very proudly. He expects to graduate from JKUAT in June 2017.
"I think the main values the Academy instilled in me were positive attitude, time management, assertiveness, competitive spirit and self-confidence. These are values that I apply on a day-to-day basis to form the foundation of a successful career in art, product design and architecture," Kashyap says confidently. He also adds that the confidence that his skill set gives him takes him further than most in trying challenging and new projects in his field. With this experience in mind he says, "I am sure I shall be quite a pioneer in creating world-changing ideas."
Kashyap believes the coursework at his university and his time management are going smoothly due to the intense training at the Aga Khan Academy. "Coming from the Academy, I believe it set me a level ahead of others, enabling me to go further than my fellow students." He also values the International Baccalaureate curriculum. "It is the only system that I know of that makes it possible for one to develop holistically. One does not just learn academics, but also extracurricular activities, leadership skills, developing talents and solving community problems," he says emphatically.
Since graduating from the Aga Khan Academy, Kashyap has participated in many major events and activities that have brought him recognition and accolades. He was a winner of the Perstorp Open Innovation Challenge 2016 in Sweden which involved submitting ideas on making, repairing and remolding furniture into new shapes and designs rather than disposing of used or broken pieces in landfills. Kashyap has also won the Disruption by Design Award for architectural design in 2015. Other accomplishments include being awarded a tender to create a 14-foot-tall carving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya in 2014 and winning the first round of the Thought for Food Challenge 2013 – an annual competition that challenges university students to develop an innovative solution to improve food security. He also won an international graphic design contest for an Irish boat-making company and has displayed his artwork at Diani Beach Art gallery, Tazama Art Gallery and Kenya Art Fair.
Kashyap was also nominated and sponsored to attend the One Young World conferences in Pittsburgh, USA in 2012, and in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2013. These summits gather the brightest young leaders from around the world, empowering them to make lasting connections and develop solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues.
Kashyap is particularly proud of his first community service project, called Project Desert Farms. He designed this as an architectural solution to help communities on the coast to filter ocean water, obtain housing and food, and reduce deforestation. This project was selected as a finalist project from a worldwide participation of 140 teams, and the only one in Africa that made it to the Thought for Food Global Summit in Berlin, Germany.
While at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and after graduating in 2011, Kashyap has been actively involved in many projects and volunteer activities and has also worked for the Academy and other companies in his field. In 2011 he worked with planning and construction management at the Aga Khan Academy. He also volunteered there as a theatre teacher for years 7–10 in 2012 and was involved in the design of two of the Academy’s residential blocks.
Kashyap's most unforgettable experience at the Academy was being a dorm captain in the residential programme. "One of the things I miss about the Academy is the organisation…[and the] efficient order in the way it operates," he comments. Another thing he misses about the Academy is the facilities. "It’s only after leaving the Academy that you appreciate the constant high speed Wi-Fi, adequate number of desks and chairs for students, high-class sports facilities and equipment, and most of all the great ocean climate and friendly people. As they say, nothing beats home," Kashyap reminisces nostalgically.
Maria Atalia Matola: Exuding passion in her profession
Courageous and confident, Maria Atalia Matola travelled out of Maputo, Mozambique for the first time in her life to teach at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya as part of the Aga Khan Academies’ Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP). Over the last academic year, she taught Grade 5 in the Junior School at AKA Mombasa as part of this unique school-based programme that provides in-depth, hands-on experience in teaching the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
From early on in her career, Atalia exhibited qualities of perseverance and courage toward achieving her dreams and receiving an education. Despite initially facing challenges in her plans to attend university, Atalia remained strong-willed and pursued her studies in teaching English at a teacher’s college in Maputo. The one-year intensive programme rewarded her with a teaching qualification for students from Grades 1–7 and ultimately, entrance into a university programme for English language teaching, which qualified her to teach at the secondary level as well. “After that one-year course, I realised that I really love teaching. When I get to the classroom it’s as if I’m connected to a socket. It just comes naturally – my communication with the students and delivery of the lessons,” she claims. Atalia taught for four years in both private and public schools before coming to the Academy.
During her programme at the teacher's college, she had the experience of teaching English to adults and was able to gain many skills, which she built upon and adapted during her time in Mombasa. She continues to search for new experiences and enjoys being stretched out of her comfort zone. As she has taught younger students and adults, she says, “I would like to challenge myself and teach teenagers.”
From early on in her career, Atalia exhibited qualities of perseverance and courage toward achieving her dreams and receiving an education. Despite initially facing challenges in her plans to attend university, Atalia remained strong-willed and pursued her studies in teaching English at a teacher’s college in Maputo. The one-year intensive programme rewarded her with a teaching qualification for students from Grades 1–7 and ultimately, entrance into a university programme for English language teaching, which qualified her to teach at the secondary level as well. “After that one-year course, I realised that I really love teaching. When I get to the classroom it’s as if I’m connected to a socket. It just comes naturally – my communication with the students and delivery of the lessons,” she claims. Atalia taught for four years in both private and public schools before coming to the Academy.
During her programme at the teacher's college, she had the experience of teaching English to adults and was able to gain many skills, which she built upon and adapted during her time in Mombasa. She continues to search for new experiences and enjoys being stretched out of her comfort zone. As she has taught younger students and adults, she says, “I would like to challenge myself and teach teenagers.”
With bravery and a determined mindset, Atalia embraced the opportunity to teach at the Academy in Mombasa. Previously, Atalia was teaching at the Matolajhota school in Maputo, and frequently attended the Professional Development Centre (PDC) training and development sessions at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo, which is where she learned about the TPP. After a rigorous selection process, she was one of six individuals who were chosen to participate in the TPP.
Atalia experienced culture shock when transitioning from Maputo to Mombasa. The dressing style, the hospitality, the dominant religions and the culture are all very different from her hometown. She began to appreciate the cultural nuances and slowly adapted to the different social and cultural environments of the city, including the language. “I came to Mombasa thinking I have to work on improving my English, but I’ve also started learning Kiswahili!”
Not only was she exposed to a new culture and belief system, but Atalia also reflects upon the many lessons and skills she learned whilst in the classroom. She is always willing to grow, learn and unlearn, all in a bid to further develop her mindset and philosophy of teaching. “There are so many things that I learned here that I’m going to take in my luggage to Maputo…[especially] the inquiry-based learning, because here in the IB curriculum the student is at the centre of the learning, it’s not the teacher.” Atalia also feels that the collaborative learning approaches and the integration of the Aga Khan Academies' (AKA) Learner Profile attributes within the classroom make a large impact on the development of the child. “It makes a lot of difference…the way the students behave inside and outside the classroom really mirrors the AKA LearnerProfile.” She emphasises, “No doubt [my experience at the Academy] has made me a more effective teacher.”
Atalia has returned to Mozambique to teach at AKA Maputo. The language of instruction in Mozambique is normally Portuguese, but the Academy implements a dual-language approach and teaches in both English and Portuguese to ensure that students are fluent in both English, which is taught across the Academies network, and the language spoken in their national context. “I’m really passionate about English,” says Atalia. Many students entering Grade 1 at the Academy speak little to no English, which can make teaching in English challenging. “The main language of instruction will be English, but we’ll have Portuguese as a scaffolding language for students who don’t understand English well,” she notes.
Atalia speaks about the need for a teacher to develop a relationship with the students that goes beyond conveying information. “To be an IB teacher, you need to be someone who is passionate about your profession. You have to play so many roles apart from being a teacher…You need to be someone who is aware of the life of the student… so that you can properly guide the student.”
Having grown up in Mozambique, Atalia is looking forward to teaching at AKA Maputo, which is currently expanding its physical campus and its curricular offering to include the IB Middle Years Programme. Atalia and the other TPP graduates from her cohort will have the opportunity to bring their newly wrought skills to bear on helping to grow the school. She is embracing the challenge of nurturing the next generation of students. One of the most memorable moments of her earlier time as a teacher in Maputo was teaching young students who didn’t yet know the alphabet how to read. “It was a great moment for me to see those students opening their books and reading, joining words together, making a sentence, counting…It really touched my heart.”
Atalia has learned a great deal through the TPP but is looking forward to continuing her growth as a teacher. She says, “This course has changed me totally, no doubt. But I still want to learn more – there are so many things that are still in my mind and that I want to know how to implement. I will still learn.” Atalia also hopes to work with the PDC at AKA Maputo and share her experiences with the next cohort of teachers engaging in the TPP.
By: Karishma Bhagani and Sarra Sheikh
Gayathri Vinil: studying astronomy and astrophysics at the Florida Institute of Technology
