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.
Aga Khan Academy Dhaka Construction Diary - November 2019
See our latest photo gallery and aerial drone footage showing progress on the construction of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka – November 2019.
Academy name:
Date:
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
News
10 April 2023
The Academy a hosted an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) 1 subject selection fair, participated by DP1 students for the 2023-24 session and their parents.
06 April 2023
Grade 1 students and staff at the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka attend a session with Ms Syeda Sharmin Ahmed, the founder of ‘Fruitsicles – handcrafted gourmet ice pops'.
06 April 2023
From curious faces to focused minds, from joyous students to supportive tutors, the Peer Tutoring internship is one of learning, growth, and development.
05 April 2023
On 29 March, for the first time ever, the Academy celebrated World Theatre Day. This international celebration draws theatre and the power of this art form into the spotlight, so that all can enjoy what it has to offer. Ms Pid’or and a group of talented students hosted a day of performance and theatrical events to give us our own unique celebration of theatre. Read more from Ms Pid'or.
01 April 2023
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka organised an exciting and educational day for its Grade 7 students on a recent field trip to Southtech Packaging and Accessories Limited.
26 March 2023
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka celebrated Bangladesh’s Independence Day with enthusiasm and gratitude through special Junior School and Senior School assemblies.
24 March 2023
Reaching the Everest Base Camp is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, and it takes a great deal of preparation. The students were prepared for freezing weather and had the equipment to hike great distances at high altitudes.
24 March 2023
Grade 8 students and teachers organised a captivating exhibition where they created and showcased their self-designed interactive games.
22 March 2023
The Aga Khan Academy Maputo held a special whole school assembly to commemorate World Water Day on 22 March.
21 March 2023
On 20 March 2023, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka hosted a group of visitors from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the High Commission of Canada in Bangladesh.
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AKA Dhaka Campus Construction Diary
Construction of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka's award-winning new campus is underway. Visit this page regularly to see how construction is progressing.
July 2019
Click here to see the July 2019 construction photo gallery.
June 2019
Click here to see the June 2019 construction photo gallery.
January 2019
Click here to see the January 2019 construction photo gallery.
December 2018
Click here to see the December 2018 construction photo gallery.
November 2018
October 2018
Click here to see the October 2018 construction photo gallery.
September 2018
Click here to see the September 2018 construction photo gallery.
August 2018
Click here to see the August 2018 construction photo gallery.
July 2018
Click here to see the July 2018 construction photo gallery.
June 2018
Fee Schedule
Fee schedule for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Click here to download the AKA Dhaka fee schedule for the 2023-2024 academic year.
NOTES
- All students are required to pay the Academy fees on a timely basis.
- On first joining, students must pay the admission fees (non-refundable), tuition fee, and caution money deposit (refundable) in advance, prior to attending the Academy, by the designated date.
- Students are required to pay tuition and transport fees (if eligible) based on the invoice issued through BEFTN or direct deposit at the bank.
- Fees include course fees, library books, IT and science laboratory equipment, and certain classroom resources. The fees do not include day-to-day stationeries, course books and uniform costs.
- Field trips and any other such off-campus educational experiences which are not included as part of the compulsory curriculum are charged as and when the same is conducted.
- Exam fees for the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme will be billed separately based on the actual fee charged by the IB and other related and incidental expenses.
- Payments made after the due date are considered to be late.
- Fees not paid by the due date will attract a late fee penalty of 2% per month on the outstanding balance at the end of the month.
- The Academy will send reminders to the parent, requesting payment in full of all fees due (along with late fines if applicable).
- If the payment is not made within the stipulated time, the student shall be suspended and shall not be allowed to attend classes.
- If fees remain unpaid after four fortnightly reminders, a letter will be issued to parents, followed by de-enrolment.
- In the case of a student being de-enrolled or expelled, no fees will be refunded except for the caution money deposit.
- The Academy retains the right to set off or adjust dues from the caution money deposit or any other amounts the family owes to the Academy.
- Claims for refund of caution money deposit are to be made in writing, using the required form, within one year of the date of leaving the Academy.
- The Academy reserves the right to withhold results, school certificates, transfer certificates, transcripts, university referrals or any other information and/or documents in the event that fees or any other dues payable to the Academy are outstanding or not paid in the manner directed.
- The board of directors of the Aga Khan Education Service, Bangladesh, reserves the right to make changes to these rules from time to time as it deems necessary.
Please note that any parent making payments through the BEFTN option must send their payment receipt to finance.dhaka@agakhanacademies.org every time they make a payment; otherwise, the Academy will be unable to credit the student’s account.
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
“Creating leaders”: Impact of an Aga Khan Schools education
During his time at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Ham Serunjogi (Class of 2012) – CEO and co-founder of African fintech giant Chipper Cash – realised the importance of staying connected to something larger than himself and giving back to the world. This fuelled his remarkable success, and recently, the Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree was selected to serve as an advisor to the US President on African diaspora engagement.
“A big part of it was that I was in the residential programme,” Ham says. “My roommates and my house parents were a central part of my experience; they practically became family to me.”
Originally from Uganda, Ham became a part of the Academy’s residential programme, where students in Grades 6-12 from around the world live on campus and participate in different activities and leadership opportunities.
“The group of friends I had on the floor we lived on,” he continues, “I value those friendships deeply.”
Ham credits his dorm parent, Mr Bardai, as a large part of his amazing experience at the Academy.
“Mr Bardai was absolutely the best and looked out for me,” he said. “We remain close to this day.”
Along with his residential parents, Ham fondly recalls teachers such as Mr Kassam, who incorporated meals in his English lessons as they were described in books the students read in class, which encouraged the kids to bring in their own dishes for a potluck.
“We had a really fun time in class with Mr Kassam.”
Ham also recollects his role as President of the Academy’s Student Representative Council, which allowed him to lead the secondary school students and work closely with his peers and teachers.
“The Academies as a whole aim to instil in their education the notion of creating people who are leaders that can come back and help develop their local communities,” he explains. “The idea of being a net positive contributor to society – that was something I learnt strongly.”
“The more I think back on the ways the Academy made sure we were connected to the community, with the events we did outside of the Academy with other community members, that was a key reminder to not stay in an isolated group of privileged people or with people that aren’t connected to something larger than ourselves,” he explains.
“That really resonated with my time over there.”
From Kampala to Mombasa to Iowa
After completing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at the Academy, Ham’s journey leaped to another continent when he moved to Iowa in the US to study economics at the prestigious Grinnell College.
He was ready for the adventure, thanking his move to the Academy in Mombasa from his hometown in Kampala, Uganda as an insight into what it is like to move away.
“[My time at the Academy] was the first time in my life I lived away from home,” he says. “It was like a nice trial period before moving further away.”
“I was excited to move to Grinnell, to Iowa, for all the big and small things like seeing snow for the first time,” he reflects. “Just being around a new environment, new culture and a new group of people was very exciting.”
The creation of Chipper Cash
Following his graduation from Grinnell and a two-year stint at Meta (formerly Facebook) came a pivotal stage in Ham’s life. In 2018, he and his co-founder Maijid Moujaled established Chipper Cash, a financial technology, or fintech, company offering several products and services to people in Africa, such as local and cross-border payments, cards, stocks, airtime and data, and bill pay.
“I wanted to make an impact on my local community with what I know best,” Ham says. “I wanted to create a solution that might solve a problem for people in Uganda.”
The CEO met his co-founder at Grinnell, who wanted to create a similar solution for the people of Ghana, where he was originally from.
“It was easy to align our thinking because we wanted to start the company to check some boxes – what needs to be done and where?”
Chipper Cash now has over five million customers operating in countries including Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda and the US. It has been featured in several global financial publications as well as news channels including BBC, CNN, Quartz, Apple and Forbes, in which Ham was named as one of the honourees of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Finance List of 2023.
Serving on the US President’s advisory council
In September 2023, Ham was appointed to serve on the Inaugural President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States. The Advisory Council is tasked to advise the US President on a range of issues, including how to strengthen relations between Africa and the US, promote trade and investment, and build educational exchanges.
“I definitely pinch myself every night just to make sure I’m not dreaming,” he laughs. “If you’d ask me at any point in my life if I would ever be an advisor to the US President, there’s no way I’d have thought that’s possible.”
Ham highlights what he is most excited about for his role as an advisor.
“One, it’s an incredible group of people to be a part of,” he says. “And two, in today’s world, Africa is the fastest growing continent and they’re strong partners with the US. We will help advise the President to form policy and help drive US-African relations and investment further.”
“Policy is going to affect billions of people, and if we do our job well, we’ll make a positive impact on the world. If that’s all I ever do in my life, I’ll be very happy with myself.”
Giving back to the Academy
Ham feels fortunate to be in a position where he can give back to the place that started it all. The alumnus consistently provides the Academy in Mombasa with support by coming back to address graduates, creating videos and content to promote the Academy, or even donating to support current and future students.
“It’s a special place to me,” Ham describes. “I was fortunate enough to give the 2021 graduation commencement address, and the theme of my remarks was the realisation of the opportunities I’ve been lucky to receive, and the best way to repay them is to help repair the world.”
AKA Dhaka Campus Construction Diary
Construction of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka's award-winning new campus is underway. Visit this page regularly to see how construction is progressing.
December 2019
Click here to see the December 2019 construction photo gallery.
November 2019
Click here to see the November 2019 construction photo gallery.
October 2019
Click here to see the October 2019 construction photo gallery.
September 2019
Click here to see the September 2019 construction photo gallery.
August 2019
Click here to see the August 2019 construction photo gallery.
July 2019
Click here to see the July 2019 construction photo gallery.
June 2019
Click here to see the June 2019 construction photo gallery.
January 2019
Click here to see the January 2019 construction photo gallery.
December 2018
Click here to see the December 2018 construction photo gallery.
November 2018
October 2018
Click here to see the October 2018 construction photo gallery.
September 2018
Click here to see the September 2018 construction photo gallery.
August 2018
Click here to see the August 2018 construction photo gallery.
July 2018
Click here to see the July 2018 construction photo gallery.
June 2018
Excellence in Education
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Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Director's Welcome
Salim A.L. Bhatia
Director of AcademiesThe Aga Khan Academies are a network of schools being established by His Highness the Aga Khan in countries across South and Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Director of AcademiesThe Aga Khan Academies are a network of schools being established by His Highness the Aga Khan in countries across South and Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
As the Director of Academies, I have been entrusted with His Highness’s extraordinary vision for the Academies as a global learning community, where young people develop the capacity to become future leaders of civil society.
The underlying idea of the Aga Khan Academies network is to concentrate substantial resources on those exceptional individuals – students and teachers – who have the potential to transform society. When provided with a world-class education, exceptional students from any background can achieve their significant potential and in so doing improve their lives, the lives of their families, their communities, their country and the world.
At this time, we envisage a network of approximately 18 campuses across 14 countries that, when fully developed, will be teaching 14,000 students.
Each Aga Khan Academy will reach out to students of all backgrounds, regardless of culture, race, religion or financial circumstance.
The Academies follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, ensuring a global standard of educational excellence and external validation through the annual IB Diploma exams.
The Academies also work to enhance the quality of teaching, the base on which good education rests. Each Aga Khan Academy will provide professional development programmes for teachers and school leaders from within the Academy as well as from government and other schools.
The students in our existing Academies are already achieving exceptional results across domains spanning academics, athletics and the arts. And our alumni, many of whom attend leading universities around the world, are demonstrating a deep sense of social responsibility and a commitment to return to serve their home countries.
Ultimately, we hope that the qualities of good leadership – sound moral judgment, self-discipline, a pluralistic outlook and civic responsibility – are the qualities that will distinguish Aga Khan Academy graduates.
"Our goal, then, is not to provide special education for a privileged elite – but to provide an exceptional education for the truly exceptional." I invite you to explore our website further to learn more about the Aga Khan Academies and the unique and innovative programme they offer.
With warm wishes,
Salim A.L. Bhatia
Director of Academies
Student Leadership
The Academies’ programmes aim to develop students who are ethical, public-minded and who possess a pluralistic outlook. Both curricular and enrichment activities work to educate effective home-grown leaders who are actively engaged in their local communities and are aware of the implications of their actions.
Through their participation in enrichment programmes, students are encouraged to take on leadership positions in a variety of different forms (e.g. house leaders, student council, team captains, dorm duties).
Not only do these opportunities provide an environment to explore and enhance skills such as cooperation and problem solving, they also enable students to set personal goals and challenge themselves.
"The conviction that home-grown intellectual leadership of exceptional calibre is the best driver of a society’s destiny, underpins the Ismaili Imamat’s endeavour to create catalytic centres of educational excellence."
