Teacher Resources
The Aga Khan Academies work to develop curriculum units that are relevant to cultural contexts of schools in the developing world. These resources develop students’ understanding of the Aga Khan Curricular Strands – Ethics, Pluralism, Cultures (with an emphasis on Muslim civilisations), Governance and Civil Society, and Economics for Development.
Resources are freely available for schools to download and use for education purposes, with appropriate attribution. We would welcome feedback about your experiences using these resources in your school. If you have comments, ideas for improvements, or would simply like to know more about our work, please send an email to: curriculum@agakhanacademies.org.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture
The following units have been developed as part of a collaborative project between the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. They follow the guidelines for IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) units, but can be used in any curriculum.
Parks and Gardens as Sanctuaries: an interdisciplinary unit for MYP1 students bringing together learning from language and literature or language acquisition (Phases 3-5) and the arts.
- Teachers' Guide
- Companion Slides
- Case Study (English language acquisition)
- Case Study (English language and literature)
Evolving Identities and Navigating Cultures: a unit to promote student well-being, which could be used as part of a pastoral or PSHE programme in MYP2.
Musical Expression is a Universal Feature of Human Experience: a music unit for students in MYP4 or MYP5.
Treasures of the Silk Routes
Treasures of the Silk Routes: Interdisciplinary Unit Planner
Treasures of the Silk Routes: Teachers' Guide
Treasures of the Silk Routes: Objects from the Aga Khan Museum Collection (slideshow)
Aga Khan Curricular Strands
The Aga Khan Academies aim to develop young people who will have the capacity to lead and to build strong civil democratic societies. As part of achieving this vision, the Academies have enhanced their curriculum with specific areas of focus known as the Aga Khan Curricular Strands (AK Strands).
The AK Strands aim to strengthen understandings and dispositions needed by leaders of the future. They encompass five critical areas of study:
- Ethics
- Pluralism
- Cultures (with an emphasis on Muslim civilisations)
- Governance and Civil Society
- Economics for Development
The five AK Strands
Two of the AK Strands, Ethics and Pluralism, help students develop values and attitudes required by ethical leaders. Students both discuss these ideas in theory and put them into practice in their daily lives.
The other three AK Strands concentrate on ideas that are integral to the functioning of societies, and in particular on issues related to societies of the developing world.
Integration into school life
The Aga Khan Curricular Strands are not structured as additional subjects but rather are woven through the existing curriculum. They are also integrated into the broader functioning of the school.
For example, school policies, co-curricular activities and everyday school life are consciously considered through the lens of each Strand.
While the AK Strands examine issues of global importance, they are also tailored to the cultural context of each Academy, which ensures their local relevance. This allows students to engage with international issues and challenges while remaining strongly grounded in their local context.
Through the Aga Khan Academies Network, teachers and students will be able to explore the strands in different cultural contexts through visits and exchanges with other Academies.
Why Choose the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa
Admission to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa is based on merit. This is broadly defined as exceptional intellectual potential, leadership, a commitment to learning, strong sense of integrity, and the desire to work towards and instigate positive change.
As part of a network of Academies, we have been established to provide exceptional students from all backgrounds with an outstanding education.
We seek students representing a diverse range of economic, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We look for students who have the ability and motivation to excel academically and who demonstrate leadership in community service and other co-curricular pursuits.
We are more than just residential schools that strive to give their students a sound academic foundation.
We emphasise the importance of academic excellence while instilling in students a sense of civic responsibility and the desire, ability and commitment to give back to their communities locally and globally.
"In my view, the most important thing a student can learn in any educational institution is the ability to keep on learning."
Our educational approach measures success not just by academic achievement, but by how students apply what they know to make the world a better place.
The overall educational programme is designed to foster students’ curiosity while providing them with the skills and intellectual confidence to engage with what they do not know and find answers and solutions.
You can call the admissions team on their direct lines:
+254 (0) 736 200 008 or +254 780 223 703
Sumeya Taquidir: Becoming a dynamic teacher
Sumeya Nemane Ussene Taquidir believes learning is a continuous process and that the Aga Khan Strands help her, as a teacher, to be dynamic and creative.
Sumeya is a year 6 and 7 Middle Years Programme science teacher, who joined the Aga Khan Academies through the Teacher Preparation Programme, which develops new teachers into International Baccalaureate practitioners. She spent a full academic year at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa as part of her training through the programme before joining the Aga Khan Academy Maputo.
Born in Maputo, Mozambique, Sumeya graduated with a Bachelor’s of Education in science (Physics and Minor Electronic) from the Pedagogical University, Mozambique. She joined the Academies because of their philosophy of education, which engages students actively in the process of learning, and the environment of continuous professional development that helps teachers develop effective teaching methods.
During her time in Mombasa, Sumeya had the opportunity to learn how to improve her teaching skills. When asked what helped her become a more effective teacher, she said it was, “the opportunity to go to the Academy in Mombasa for training, [where] we received support in various areas in order to improve our methodologies of teaching. [The Academy provided] us the opportunity to participate in workshops, online trainings and use online resources.”
Sumeya feels that the most rewarding aspect of teaching is when she sees students applying the Aga Khan (AK) Strands in different ways. The Aga Khan Strands are cross-curricular areas of learning that help students develop dispositions and knowledge required by future leaders. Sumeya recalls, “My special memory from the Academy in Mombasa was my first day of teaching. I was very nervous mainly because I was being observed. The lesson was good, the students were familiar with the learner profile and the AK Strands, therefore, it was easy to deliver the lesson.”
She believes that with the teacher’s incorporation of the AK Strands and the learner profile into lessons, the students are better able to understand why they should respect other cultures and work together.
Although Sumeya knows that teaching is not an easy job at times, she believes that accepting challenges, communicating with students and their parents, and reflecting on teaching helps achieve positive results.
“I think it is important to create an environment with mutual respect, honesty, good relationships, and communication should be a highest priority…My rule as a teacher is to guide the students to build [their] knowledge and provide a safe environment for learning with collaborative work, respect and sharing ideas among them.”
The Academies are designed as residential schools, with many of the Senior School students living on campus. During her time in Mombasa, Sumeya had the opportunity to interact with students in the Academy’s residences, and believes that residential life complements academics and produces leaders. “They can have a different experience living with others of different cultures. They can build the spirit of leadership and they learn to think for themselves."
Teaching is ultimately a two-way process for Sumeya. She explains that she too learns from the unique environment of the Academies and through interaction with students of diverse backgrounds. “I am conscious that learning is a continuous process; every day we learn something new [which] makes me more curious to learn new things. That is why we have to be creative and dynamic teachers.”
By Inaara Gangji
Anzhela Mirzoeva: Taking Academy lessons learnt to college
“It was very cold outside,” she recalls. “I went straight to my mother’s workplace and handed her the letter. We were both too scared to open it. Finally, it was my uncle who opened it and told me I had been accepted at the Academy.”
“It was very exciting and scary,” she recollects. “I was not ready to leave my family and friends and go far away to Kenya.”
However, after spending six years at the Academy, Anzhela admits she has come a long way in terms of personal growth and professional development.
“I have been part of the Academy since 2013. Within these years I have been part of different activities and teams at the school. Each undertaking taught me something special,” she states appreciatively.
Now having graduated from the Academy, Anzhela is forging ahead to start a new phase in her life in the United States at the Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. She will major in international relations and human development and has received a full scholarship from the College. She was also admitted to other colleges, including the University of Central Asia and a number of universities in Canada. The University of Central Asia also offered her a full scholarship. Expressing gratitude to the Academy counsellors, she says, “With assurance, I can claim that without my counsellors, I wouldn’t have been so successful in getting admission to all these universities. The counsellors in the Academy were very dedicated and organized in their work. They made the college application a very smooth process with their information presentations and untiring availability.”
Anzhela feels that her route to success has been due to the Academy’s International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. This, she feels, has given her a step ahead in critical thinking skills.
“The IB engages you in constructive learning,” she says with admiration. “It fills your mind with thinking skills that you will need all your life. The IB learner profile is also a guideline that teaches students what their expectations are.”
Anzhela says the Academy instilled in her many values such as pluralism, empathy, and leadership training. The public service requirement, she says, touched her to the core. After her education, she hopes to return to Tajikistan.
As she heads away from the Academy, Anzhela says she will always cherish her years at the school.
“I will miss the sense of belonging at the Academy, the Saturday night activities, the IB jokes, the late nights trying to finish assignments," Anzhela said. "What makes me miss all these moments are the people; my teachers, my classmates, my friends, the simple stuff. At the end of the day, I see the Academy as my home. It is where I spent all my teen years. I am truly grateful to be a graduate of the Academy. It taught me who I really am and what I really want from life.”
Alqaim Lalani (Class of 2019): The importance of mentoring and positively contributing to the community
Although it has been a few years since he graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Alqaim Lalani, Class of 2019, says his years at the Academy had a major bearing on his academic career and strongly influenced his outlook on life. Now, as a graduate of Columbia University in New York, Alqaim is giving back to the Aga Khan Academies community that he says shaped his life and gave him so much.
Originally from Tanzania, Alqaim was actively involved in the Academy’s community. As a dorm captain in the residential programme, he learnt time-management skills, maturity and developed strong work ethics. He also gained a passion for positively contributing to his communities, which could be seen in the social enterprise he founded as a student called “Tumaini la Maisha Cancer Initiative”, which supports economically disadvantaged children suffering from cancer to raise money from crafts they make to subsidise their own care. His efforts gained widespread recognition in Tanzania, where he was named one of the ‘Most Influential Young Tanzanians’ for his achievements in social enterprise and philanthropy.
However, upon entering university, Alqaim discovered a new passion: mentoring students during their university application process. Since he began his undergraduate studies in 2019, Alqaim mentored International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 1 and 2 Academies students, who he believes “are at a very critical stage in their lives,” because they are at the juncture of shifting from school to university.
“Transitioning from high school to university can be daunting, given the pressures to choose what you want to study, partake in activities and internships and ultimately determine how you want to start your career – all in the span of a few very consequential years,” Alqaim said.
Alqaim’s interest in wanting to mentor stems from his own experience at Columbia, where he was introduced to an alumni network and inclusive student community. He soon learnt that Columbia and some other universities actively supported first-year students in selecting courses, applying for campus societies and recruiting for selective careers.
“Even before stepping foot on campus, I was being supported by a community committed to my success, enabling me to transition quite seamlessly once I arrived on campus,” he says.
Alqaim knew he wanted to pay it forward and ensure other students felt this level of support. To date, Alqaim has mentored 11 Academies students from Mombasa and Hyderabad across varying aspects of the university application process. From building a shortlist of institutions that meet their academic and financial needs to approaching standardised tests with confidence and ultimately bringing their authentic self forward when voicing their achievements and background.
One of the students who benefitted from Alqaim’s mentorship is Ayaan Dewani, Class of 2023 from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, who is studying at Boston University with a full-ride scholarship.
"I am incredibly grateful for the invaluable assistance I received from Alqaim during my university application process,” Ayaan said. “His guidance and support were instrumental in helping me navigate the complex and often overwhelming journey toward higher education. He took the time to understand my interests, strengths and aspirations and then provided tailored advice on which universities would be the best fit for me. His insights were spot-on, and he helped me create a well-rounded list of target schools that aligned with my academic and personal goals.”
Considering it a privilege to work with students, Alqaim believes he, too, is benefitting from his mentoring.
“Serving as a mentor has helped improve my leadership skills, exposed me to new perspectives and consolidated lessons I previously learnt,” Alqaim said. “I believe the true value of mentorship lies in eliciting self-reflection and critical thinking from the mentee, rather than simply rearticulating one’s own experience.”
Although he is currently working in financial services, Alqaim continues to support Academies students through this journey by working with them to find internships and jobs that appeal to their talents, and helping them foster the transition from student to working professional by connecting them to other alumni a part of the Aga Khan Academies Alumni Association.
“My experience at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has been pivotal in my life,” Alqaim says.
Living on Campus
Residential life at the Academy complements and extends the academic experience. The residential programme includes a broad selection of activities and leadership opportunities to enhance students’ learning and growth.
The Academy's residential programme officially opened in April 2009. Our student residences have been designed to accommodate students and dorm parents, who are teachers who have been chosen carefully and trained to live in the faculty apartments in the student residences.
Up to four students share a room. The rooms are spacious with high ceilings and large windows. Facilities include a student lounge with a breathtaking view out to sea and a large-screen television along with laundry facilities.
The Commons building houses the dining hall and an array of spaces for school activities. It is the hub of student activity and serves as the main space for major school functions, including music and drama performances and public lectures.
“The tour of the residential facility gave me a great sense of fulfillment,” said Bernard Dudi, a teacher and dorm parent. “I appreciate the amount of planning and resources and the thoroughness of the execution.”
Learning beyond the classroom
The culture of the Academy is based on respect, integrity, honesty, fairness, empathy and good humour. Our students, teachers and administrative staff create and sustain this positive learning environment.
The experience of our pluralistic learning community is especially rich for students in residence given the constant interactions among students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.
The focus of the residential programme is on students’ intellectual, social, spiritual and physical growth in a structured and ethical environment. In the words of Aziz Batada, a former dorm parent, “The residential experience allows the typical school day – where the vision of the Aga Khan Academy is continuously being lived – to be extended, and education itself is seen as a part of every moment of an individual's life.”
Kamila Janmohamed (Class of 2018): Reflecting on immense personal growth
My four-year journey at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa came to a close at a much faster pace than I am comfortable with. With graduation having recently taken place, I can’t help but look back at the immense growth I have undergone personally, socially and intellectually during my time here.
The prospect of joining the Academy had always sat passively on the horizon – I had cousins pass through the Diploma Programme here long before me, and a sister who soon planned to make the shift. So, at the age of 14, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when my parents suggested I move with her.
Leaving the comfort of my home and the company of friends with whom I had spent my entire academic career proved a lot harder than I anticipated. Coming from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, I faced less of a culture shock than many incoming students I would interact with over the years, but this didn’t soften the blow of finding myself in the middle of an entirely new education system. Here I was, an anxious teenager who had long since associated learning with the contents of a textbook, now being introduced to criteria, conceptual understanding and inquiry-based learning, all of which seemed like another language to me. Like most who have been in my position, I felt alarmingly overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of responsibility I had to take, both for my learning as an MYP (Middle Years Programme) student, and my well-being as a residential student.
I was lucky enough to have a dorm parent that year who was very perceptive to these challenges, and through her support, and that of several of my class teachers, I was able to integrate relatively seamlessly into life at the Academy. I was particularly struck by the attitude towards learning harboured by my peers, many of whom viewed it as a communal effort and helped me adjust to the new system. This culture of intellectual humility is something that I am honoured to have been able to contribute to over the last 18 months, by tutoring MYP students in subjects I found particularly challenging in the programme.
True to the school’s mandate to develop holistic individuals, I was encouraged to join several extracurricular activities, which empowered me to pursue my passion for learning and service. One of these was a community and service group called Learn and Earn, which operated under the residential programme’s weekend activities. As the coordinator for logistics and communication, I helped organise weekly sessions with students from a nearby school where we carried out activities to promote life skills, as well as sell food items that we had cooked together to raise funds for the renovation of their school’s kitchen. This was my first experience with planning and executing a project of such a scale, and it increased my interactions with members of both the school and the surrounding communities. That same year, I was encouraged by my biology teacher to participate in the 2015 Golden Climate Olympiad where my project on cost-effective biogas digesters earned a silver award.
Two years later, I drew on my experiences as a younger, and newer, student at the Academy to fulfil my role as a Dorm Captain. I have viewed this opportunity as one of my greatest ways of giving back to the community I have grown so much in. In addition to organising orientation activities and events for the residential community, my role has required me to serve as a bridge between the students and the teachers. In considering the perspectives of both parties when discussing administrative issues, I have developed a deeper understanding of the importance of good communication and empathy. By playing a coordinative role, I have been able to engage directly with the sheer diversity of the school community. Interacting with individuals of various backgrounds and opinions has taught me the importance of engaging in open-minded and meaningful dialogue, which has enabled me to broaden my horizons. As a student leader, I have come to appreciate the importance of respect for individuals not because of the authority they hold, but simply because of the fact that they are people, a value that resonates strongly with the Academy’s vision.
Learning to balance these responsibilities and my commitments to other extracurricular programs with the demands of the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has stretched my abilities to manage and organise my time. Most of my courses have involved an extensive amount of critical thinking and have taught me not to look at academic subjects as separate entities. This has in part been catalysed by my Extended Essay on the economic implications of stroke, which focused on biology and economics. As a result, I have been able to make more meaningful conclusions from my learning, and to question things better. I am particularly grateful to my English teacher, whose classes stimulated thoughtful discussions about our world and why things are the way they are. Such platforms have been abundant in my time at the Academy, giving me the opportunity to voice my opinions, take on issues that I am passionate about and to develop a strong social conscience that has helped shape my identity.
As I consider what life will be like after graduation, I find myself saddened by the fact that I will soon be in a new environment without the strong network of support from teachers and students I have built here at the Academy. To these people, and my family of course, I owe not only my intellectual growth but also the strong sense of self I have developed. These are things that I hope to carry with me as I move on to pursue a degree in Global Affairs at Yale University, now with a larger family, concentrated in a region of the world I look very forward to coming back to work in.
By Kamila Janmohamed
Raphael Mwachiti: Using technology to advance the community
When Raphael Mwachiti, a Diploma Programme (DP) student, got admitted to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa on a fully funded scholarship through the Talent Identification Programme (TID) in 2015, he knew it was a life-changing opportunity.
“I was thrilled and filled with joy that I got to see my parents be proud of me for getting the admission but I also understood that it was now up to me to make use of the resources and support from the Academy to make something of myself,” Raphael says.
After five years at the Academy, he says his experience feels like a great adventure, one he had never thought of undertaking.
“I got to see different perspectives and meet people from different backgrounds,” Raphael says. “I’ve also been able to go to new places like Canada and Tanzania and learn many new things.”
Although he hit many bumps along the road, he says they’ve helped him grow as an individual and have given him a glimpse of the world to better prepare him to be an active member of his community.
Raphael has not only had outstanding achievements in the classroom but has applied what he’s learnt to effect change outside the classroom. He has embraced the ethos of the Academy by striving to improve the lives of others.
In 2019 he won the Ryerson Sandbox Basecamp prize for his innovation to aid the visually impaired. He was awarded a grant of $5,000 CAD and specialist professional advice to help advance his start-up. He is now working to produce these devices for further testing with the hope of impacting more than 250,000 visually impaired persons in Kenya.
Additionally, Raphael helps farmers in his rural home of Kinango learn new farming techniques like greenhouse irrigation and composting, which are now being utilised to help increase harvest in all seasons thus increasing sustainability within the community. He also teaches computer skills to kids in his old school, which has evoked an interest in technology within them.
"I first met Raphael when we were doing the Talent Identification testing in October 2014,” says Dean of Admissions Paul Davis. “We sat outside one of the classrooms at St. Joseph's Primary School in Kinango. The first thing I remember asking him was whether he was emulating the great Italian artist. He mentioned that the name came from his dad, who was an artist and painted local wildlife and scenes to sell to the tourists in his shop in Ukunda."
"What I admired about Raphael at that time as well as his intellectual capacity was his honesty," said Paul. "He said that the most difficult moment he had to deal with was when he saw a child selling charcoal in Kinango and not going to school; he had reported it and the child was given free education. In a personal story he had written he mentioned a story about rescuing a child from a house on fire - when I asked about this and whether this had really happened, he admitted that it was not true and he had been told to write this by his teacher - he said he knew at the time that he should not be writing this and felt uncomfortable doing so. I had a feeling then that if we chose him he was going to be a self-driven and principled leader. I am pleased to see that these initial feelings were correct and he has turned into a fine ambassador for the Academy".
After being at the Academy for the last five years, Raphael now feels an even stronger responsibility to give back to his community and society at large. “With this understanding, I believe that the next wave of leaders coming from the Academy will be the foundation of positive change in the world,” says Raphael.
Watch Raphael's story, which is featured on the Aga Khan Development Network:
Middle Years Programme
The Aga Khan Academy Maputo is a Candidate School* for the Diploma Programme. The Academy is pursuing authorisation as an IB continuum school. These are schools that share a common philosophy — a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that the believes is important for our students.
What is the MYP?
The MYP is a challenging and exciting inquiry-based curriculum that actively engages students in their learning by encouraging them to make connections between what they study and the wider world. The five-year programme offers students access to a curriculum that is broad and balanced, conceptual and connected. What matters is not absorbing facts that can be repeated but developing ways of thinking that can be applied to new situations.
There are 8 subject groups within the MYP. Here at the Aga Khan Academy in Maputo our students study Portuguese and English language and literature, Portuguese, English and, in MYP3, French language acquisition, humanities, sciences, mathematics, visual arts, design and physical and health education.
In addition to the academic subjects our MYP students also develop leadership skills, library research skills and initiate and participate in service with the community.
In the final year of the programme students complete a personal project that encourages them to strengthen their approaches to learning skills, consolidate prior and subject-specific learning and develop an area of personal interest. In the context of the Aga Khan mission, vision and values it also develops awareness of a community need and seeks to address it in a meaningful way. The personal project is challenging, motivational and interesting as each student develops a personal project independently.
MYP Learners
The MYP promotes open communication, based on mutual understanding and respect. It encourages students to become active, compassionate lifelong learners. The programme is holistic and as such is concerned with developing the whole person. Along with cognitive development, the programme addresses students’ social, emotional and physical well-being. Students are encouraged to become active and caring members of local, national and international communities who respect themselves, others and the world around them. They develop effective communication skills, social skills, self-management skills, research skills and thinking skills that will enable them to adapt to a range of contexts, as they make their way through life.
Assessment for learning
Teachers use a variety of assessment strategies to address the MYP subject-group objectives. The assessment for learning tasks include, among other things compositions, creating solutions or products in response to problems, essays, examinations, investigations, questionnaires, research tasks, performances, presentations, research task and reports.
In the fifth and final year of the MYP, to be eligible for the internationally recognized MYP certificate students must successfully complete eight eAssessments:
On-screen examinations in:
- Language and literature
- Individuals and societies (Humanities)
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Interdisciplinary learning
ePortfolios (coursework) in:
- language acquisition
- physical and health education, arts or design
- the personal project
Students must also meet the school’s expectations for service and action.
The MYP bilingual certificate additionally requires successful results from on-screen examinations of:
A second language and literature instead of a course in language acquisition
The maximum total score for the IB MYP certificate is 56, with a grade from 1-7 assigned to each required eAssessment.
Students must achieve a total of at least 28 points, with a grade of ‘3’ or higher n each eAssessment component, to be eligible to receive the MYP certificate.
Transition to the IB Diploma (DP)
MYP subject groups form an important common foundation for all students and provide strong alignment with the six subject groups in the DP which follows. The two year DP course encourages depth and breadth of learning and builds on students’ prior learning experiences. This encourages them to become confident, independent learners. It also encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills, self-management and global mindedness. Further, research carried out on behalf of the IB demonstrates that successful DP graduates are much more likely to be enrolled at top higher education institutions than entrants holding other qualifications.
Please visit the Admission Requirements page or contact us to find out more about applying to the MYP programme at the Academy.
*Only schools authorised by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme, or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorisation will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org.
