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.
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Rosa Jorge: Encouraging expression through the arts
A new arrival at the Academy in Maputo, Rosa completed the Academies’ Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP) at the AKA Mombasa in December 2019. Calling it one of the most rewarding experiences of her life, she lauds the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Sessions for pushing her to be a better teacher.
Looking back at her TPP journey, Rosa recounts, “I, personally, have seen myself grow as a teacher and a social individual. The experience has changed the way I approach the teaching and learning process. As teachers, it is possible to change the world through education – all we have to do is believe in that and go do it!”
Drama in the family
She began her now 20-year journey with drama from the nascent age of 14. When her brother and friends were taking up extra-curricular activities such as swimming and football, Rosa’s only interest was joining Mutumbelinhas, a local children’s theatre group. She credits her aunt, who ran the group, for helping her break away from her shy persona. “My hubsand put together a play called ‘Ziraldo’ based on the Brazilian writer's life. It was such a big change for me because I was a shy kid and through drama, I became a different person,” she recounts.
Since then, the stage has become her life. It is where she met her husband, who is a director of the Mbeu theatre group and a teacher at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. It is also the field of work for her son, a theatrical producer and her sister, an actress.
Empowering students with confidence through arts and drama
She hit the ground running in Maputo taking on her role as the Academy’s Drama teacher in January 2020. One of Rosa’s passions include organising workshops promoting self-expression, believing these are key in providing different methods of communication – be it, art, movement, singing, or dialogue and bringing children out of their comfort zone in a safe space. Rosa explains, “Through these workshops, children simply react to the directive and break out of their shell, forgetting that they were shy in the first place.”
Drama goes beyond the stage for Rosa who has been bringing to the fore issues of local cultures and traditions. Over the past few weeks, she has invited many artists to speak about the ethnic groups of Nyau and Mapiko, whereby the children have been learning through the method of mask making and movement classes. Drama has always been more than just performance for Rosa who said, “...it is a very strong tool to build various capacities within young students. It sharpens their communicative, social, collaborative and emotional skills.”
Geared to take on the years to come, Rosa shared that she can already see the seeds of transformation taking root in some students. “I believe that my training in theatre supplemented by the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum will present the opportunity to pick up the diamonds in the rough and shine them up,” she explained. “In my opinion, it is important to have Drama as part of a balanced school curriculum in order to develop a socially, emotionally and culturally-aware individual.”
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
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
