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.
Academy students give back to community
Primary Years Programme
The Junior School of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad is an International Baccalaureate World School and has been authorised for the Primary Years Programme (PYP).
Foundations for lifelong learning
We offer the PYP for students in grades 1–5 (aged 6–10). The programme focuses on the development of the whole child. It is geared towards creating independent, confident and respectful learners.
Our classroom curriculum addresses the children's social, physical, cultural and ethical development while giving them a strong foundation in all the major areas of knowledge.
The curriculum consists of five essential elements:
- concepts
- knowledge
- skills
- attitude
- action.
The core subjects we cover include English language, mathematics, social studies, science and technology. Our programme also includes a beginning computing course, physical education, music, art and Hindi.
Students and teachers explore questions in all subject areas using an interactive, student-centred approach. The knowledge element of the curriculum is enhanced by six themes that are studied across the various subject disciplines. These are:
- who we are
- where we are in place and time
- how we express ourselves
- how the world works
- how we organise ourselves
- sharing the planet.
These transdisciplinary themes of global significance are addressed through six units of inquiry at each grade level, and this forms the school’s programme of inquiry. The programme of inquiry is the conceptual curriculum framework for the PYP. The transdisciplinary themes ensure that they are "revisited throughout the students’ years of PYP so that they are immersed in broad ranging, in-depth, articulated curriculum content” (Making the PYP Happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education).
The PYP develops well-rounded students who are well versed in all areas of knowledge. They learn to be intellectually curious, principled, caring, open-minded, well balanced and reflective learners.
Please visit the Admission Requirements page or contact us to find out more about applying to the PYP at the Academy.
Virtual Open Days
Visiting a school is usually all about the people; being able to get a sense of the teachers who will be guiding and nurturing your child, seeing the current students and trying to envisage your child amongst their new peer group! Whilst that is not possible at the moment due to the global pandemic, we at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad still very much want to meet you. As a group, we have put together a video that will allow you to meet the team and gain further information about the school through the website.
Our Virtual Open Days (VOD) aim to give you an introduction to the Academy, but we also understand there is plenty left to discuss beyond the information provided and the staff is eagerly looking forward to speaking to you in person. The event is being hosted by the Admissions team and each session is divided into a virtual tour of the school hosted by our students and members of staff, followed by a Q&A with our leadership team.
Register to join one of our upcoming Virtual Open Days!
Click here to express your interest to be a part of our Virtual Open Days in February. Our Admissions team will get back to you when the dates are confirmed.
The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad is a special place, where a sense of community and family runs through everything that we do. We hope this Virtual Open Day gives you an idea of our vision, our people and our campus. We look forward to welcoming you in person in the near future. We hope to #SeeYouSoon!
For further information, please feel free to reach out to our Admissions team
Pinto Belo João: A determined teacher and a collaborative planner
“Being a teacher is not easy, because we have to teach and learn every day. I chose a career in teaching because I like to share what I know with others, especially young people, to help them to overcome the challenges in life. Being a teacher is like taking care of something special, so I decided to take care of that special thing, walking together in order to discover the world around us.”
Pinto Belo João is a grade 2 teacher at the Aga Khan Academy in Maputo. Born in Maputo, Mozambique, Pinto attended a teacher training course in Matola in 2007 where he became a primary teacher and then attended Pedagogical University in 2011 to study education. He came to the Academy as part of the Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP), which was established by the Aga Khan Academies to train recent teacher graduates to become International Baccalaureate (IB) teachers.
“Honestly I didn’t know many things about the Academy before I joined, but I always was eager to learn and grow professionally,” says Pinto. Through the Aga Khan Academy, Pinto says he has grown professionally in terms of learning new approaches to teaching and learning, trying new things and giving himself a chance to learn more. “Through professional development, the Academy helped me become a more effective teacher and a collaborative planner,” he says proudly.
For Pinto, the most rewarding aspect of the Aga Khan Academy is teaching while surrounded by experts. This environment has given him the opportunity to try new things and granted him time to reflect on teaching strategies. This has been both valuable and powerful for Pinto as it allowed him to share experiences related to classes and receive guidance and support from others. What Pinto really likes about the Academy is the integration of the Aga Khan Curricular Strands. “In my opinion these Strands make us unique and different from others,” he says.
Reflecting on enlightening experiences at the Academy, Pinto narrates a particular day when he was teaching mathematics through games. He says that while he was giving instructions on how to play the game he was surprised to see the students already playing the game before he could even finish explaining. “I learned something that day: we should never underestimate our students. Sometimes we think that we have to teach something, but the students already know it. We need to be careful in our approaches,” Pinto remarks.
In this way, Pinto has learnt profoundly from his students and feels that the teacher-student relationship, reinforced by trust, is of the utmost importance. “We need to establish trust so that the process runs toward success both inside and outside the classroom,” he says.
Relationships in the classroom must also involve parents – Pinto knows the importance and necessity of parental involvement in the education of their children. He regularly updates the parents about what they do in class and about their school trips – he also ensures that he shows parents the newsletter with stories of learning from the classroom. Some of the homework Pinto assigns includes parent personal experiences that they can share with their children.
At the Academy, Pinto says they try as much as they can to involve all students in activities and give each of them a role in groups to make them appreciate each other’s abilities. “By promoting activities like social community, [this] makes the students reflect on their own actions,” he remarks. Pinto explains that students come from different backgrounds and nationalities and that this is what makes the residential environment multicultural and promotes pluralism. When the students are exposed to this environment, Pinto says, “They learn more from each other and respect diversity. It is a great experience for them.” Ensuring a climate of pluralism on campus is not an easy task, Pinto says. “But through student’s responsibilities, we can ensure that they are working together.”
The First TEDx Youth at AKA Hyderabad
120 guests that primarily included Academy students, faculty, senior management, heads of departments and alumni attended our first TEDxYouth@AKAHyderabad on Saturday 26th May 2018, whose theme was ‘Think Again.’ Eight speakers, two performances and two TED videos were organised in two sessions.
Sharing practice across oceans
Andrew Jones is a teacher from Ontario, Canada who has spent the past year at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, working with the Junior School as part of a teacher secondment partnership between the Aga Khan Academies and the Province of Ontario.
On first arriving at the Academy Andrew said, “I [am] expecting an enriching experience that will allow me to learn about another culture by being immersed in it. I expect to grow as an educator because different settings, both culturally and through the [International Baccalaureate] programme, will allow me to expand my skill set as to how best practices support student learning.” One year later, he reflects on his experience.
Almost two years ago now, I was reading the book, Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle, by Chris Raschka to my new grade one class in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. This book helps me encourage my students at the start of the year to continue developing resiliency through adopting a growth mindset by trying new things, taking risks and reflecting on both successes and mistakes. Little did I know, I was not just teaching my students this skill, but I was also going to follow this advice myself.
Ever since I began teaching almost 10 years ago, many changes in my job assignment have sparked a passion for professional learning and development in my teaching practice. Over this year, I have immensely enjoyed this new job working for the Ministry of Education in Ontario on an educational partnership between our government and the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. I have had the opportunity to grow and learn as both an educator and an individual through my interactions at the Academy and through daily life in Mombasa.
Working at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has been an immense opportunity of both professional and personal learning that I am thankful for. I ask myself this very question, “What best teaching practices am I learning about that I should share with Ontario teachers?”
Here are three that I have learned more about since being here.
Building Confident Leaders – Students build their confidence and exude enthusiasm as they try new things and take risks during their participation in a variety of classroom activities, sports galas, enrichment opportunities and Friday assemblies. Students are confident, have strong leadership skills and advocate for equity. Confidence stands out as a defining characteristic of the learners present here in the Junior School.
Promoting Pluralistic Thinking – The Junior School’s demographic is vibrant and diverse, reflective of the Mombasa community’s cultures, religions and backgrounds. Activities at the school, such as the Arts Week performance, continually emphasise appreciation and understanding toward different views and beliefs and encourage students to think pluralistically as they work together.
Dual Language Practices – I have been learning Kiswahili “pole pole” this past year, and I am quite experienced in giving directions to tuk tuks and boda bodas. As I learn a new language, it helps me think about the world in different ways and makes me more pluralistic in my thinking. Likewise, students at the Academy develop academic competency and fluency in both the national language of Kenya, Kiswahili, and the official language of Kenya, English. Additionally, learning similar concepts in two languages allows students to develop pluralistic view points as languages sometimes look at similar ideas in different ways.
I am thankful to explore Kenya’s beauty and diversity, so far from Mount Kenya to the Masai Mara to Mombasa. I continue to grow and to learn and am thankful to the kind and generous Mombasa community that has made my transition to working at the Academy warm and welcoming. I feel very privileged to be working with such a dedicated and caring staff and with phenomenal students.
By Andrew Jones
University Counselling
The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa’s University Counselling programme offers students a vast array of resources designed to help them find good matches between themselves and universities/colleges. These resources include a dynamic and well-resourced college counsellor, a wealth of printed, video and online tools and a series of informational workshops and seminars on topics central to the college discovery process.
Our counsellor engages students in individual conferences that are designed to help students reach a greater awareness of who they are. Armed with the well-articulated sense of self, students are prepared to find universities or colleges that are the best fit. Ours is a student-centred approach, and we believe that the likelihood of satisfaction with their choices is enhanced when students are empowered to 'own' the process. Also key to success is good communication among all parties: students, parents and college counsellors. While outcomes are important, it is the process of self-discovery and college-discovery on which our programme focuses.
The Aga Khan Academies University Counselling Handbook has been prepared in order to orient students to the complex and exciting process of university application and selection. The handbook provides definite guidelines and schedules that will help students comprehend the many issues and challenges they will face in their last years of secondary school. It is designed to provide the beginning steps and an outline of the application process and curriculum in various countries.
The handbook serves as a road map that will guide students as they embark on the transition from the Academy to university. It will be helpful only to the extent that students take advantage of the information it contains. The book does not replace the help of the University Counselling Office. However, it does provide answers to frequently-asked questions, it can help students organise their thoughts about university and, in general, it can eliminate much confusion if time is taken to read it and incorporate its recommendations into university planning.
For further details, please contact our University Counsellors via email:
Lucinda Ochieng – University Counsellor: lucinda.ochieng@agakhanacademies.org
Paula Russell – University Counsellor: paula.russell@agakhanacademies.org
University Counselling: university.counselling@agakhanacademies.org
The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa works with a number of High-Achieving Low-Income African students through our school's generous financial aid and Talent Identification Programme. As such, we are a member of the HALI Access Network.
Identifying Talent to Produce Home-Grown Leadership
