The Aga Khan Academies

AKA Dhaka MUN II united over 300 students from 40+ schools for two days of dynamic debate and diplomacy, empowering youth to engage with global issues and amplify informed, empathetic voices.

The Aga Khan Schools celebrated more than 250 graduates from Kenya, Mozambique, India and Bangladesh. The Class of 2025 earned over $14 million in scholarships, led award-winning service projects and are headed to top global universities – ready to lead and serve worldwide.

The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka participated in the largest inter-school chess tournament of the year – Marks Active School Chess Champs.

The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka Inter-School Football Tournament 2025 brought renewed energy to the Academy’s field as schools across Dhaka gathered for two days of competitive play in December. Building on the strong foundation of previous years, the tournament brought together young athletes in a competitive yet collegial environment, reaffirming the Academy’s commitment to holistic education through sport.

The Academy’s grade-level trips offered students meaningful opportunities to learn through adventure, reflection and teamwork, demonstrating how real-world experiences help shape confident, resilient and compassionate young people.

Through personalised counselling and direct engagement with international universities, students at the Academy gain the insight, confidence and guidance they need to make informed decisions about their higher education pathways.

The Academy Junior School (JS) celebrated Telugu language week from Monday, 02 September to Friday, 06 September. The Telugu week was concluded with a special assembly held on Friday, 6 September where students participated in different activities and performed in front of their colleagues and teachers. This was followed by few engaging sessions, highlighting the significance of learning mother language.

On 27 July 2024, Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan visited the Aga Khan Hostel, Hyderabad and the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in India, where they were warmly welcomed by students and staff.

The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2025 on 24 May 2025.

Niranjan Seena Suresh, a Diploma Programme 2 student, speaks to Pavan Kumar about how he evolved and grew alongside the Academy over the past 12 years.

Afshine Keshwani, a Diploma Programme 2 student, speaks to Ishita Gupta about how the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad has transformed her from a shy, curious little girl to a confident and passionate young woman over the past 12 years.

Aarek Hirani, a Diploma Programme 2 student, speaks to Muskaan Bardai about how the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad became an integral part of his identity and growth over the past 12 years.

The Aga Khan Academy Maputo is deeply saddened to share that Roy White, Head of Academy, passed away on 27 March 2026. He was much-loved by our school community and will be greatly missed by all.

Happy Africa Day from the Aga Khan Academy Maputo!

The Aga Khan Academy Maputo hosted the first-ever iPad Education Summit in Mozambique from 27-28 August 2024 for 90 educators.   The two-day summit was organised by the Academy and Core Group – a company that works as a distributor of electronics brands in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Apple. It aimed to train teachers from the Academy, private schools and other educational institutions in Maputo and Matola on how to use and integrate technology in education.    “This summit represents an important step for education in Mozambique as we begin to imagine new possibilities and equip children and teachers with skills for future success,” said Junior School Principal Emma Wheatley. “It is a wonderful training which will benefit our students.”    During the summit, the participants attended the sessions to learn more about Apple applications, online safety and parental controls, screen time settings, and cyberbullying awareness, among other topics.    “Through this summit, I have realised that iPads provide access to a range of educational applications and resources that can make learning more interactive and engaging for our students,” said Grade 4 Teacher Pinto Belo.

Every Wednesday morning, Middle Years Programme (MYP) students at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo gather for a session of engaging, interactive and self-paced English language lessons called “Quill".  The sessions are part of “Quill – Language Power-up", which is an innovative language programme aimed at empowering students to excel academically and thrive in an increasingly competitive global landscape. It is designed to elevate students’ reading, writing and speaking abilities in both English and a second language by focusing on grammar and vocabulary.  Through a structured curriculum encompassing three core components – identifying learning gaps, teacher-led sessions and interactive activities – the Academy strives for the programme to foster comprehensive language proficiency among Senior School students and boost their confidence in all types of communication.  The sessions started in April 2024 and are led by the Academy’s Country Coordinator for International Talent Identification Abouzar Bassiri Zadeh and MYP Coordinator Esther Nondi.  "Quill offers around 800 activities and assessments to aid students in developing their reading comprehension and grammar in English," Ms Esther said. "The other components focus on preparing students for writing essays and delivering oral presentations in two languages.”   The programme has been useful for students to understand the writing mechanics behind the English language as they can adapt what they learn to other lessons.  "English is not my native language, and I can tell the difference in how I speak from before we started with this programme to now," said Sayna Majidi, a Grade 8 student who is originally from Iran.  Reem Saad, another Grade 8 student who is from Syria, also highlights the impact the programme has had on her.  "I am now able to work on my grammar and overcome my shyness with this programme while also learning to speak English properly," she said.  The Aga Khan Academy Maputo is working on the full implementation of Quill along with the other components of the programme, such as the “Longman Academic Series” and the "Public Speaking Merit Awards" to continue supporting Senior School students and their learning. 

The Aga Khan Academy Maputo’s Professional Development Centre (PDC) hosted a closing ceremony for its educational management and leadership course on 19 July 2024. The course, in its fifth year of running, is offered to public school managers from the Matola District Service for Education, Youth and Technology.  
The 10-day course, which had a total of 40 participants,aimed to encourage public school managers to reflect and develop collaborative practices at school that foster the formation of well-informed citizens.   “One of the Academy's distinctive features is the provision of continuous professional development programmes for educators,” said PDC Coordinator Mr Aleixo José. “There is an urgent need to implement changes in the conception and management [of schools], and this course serves as a call to reflect on the fundamental concepts and practices of democratic management.”   During the sessions, the attendees participated in discussions where they examined the current state of management and leadership practices in their schools.   “This course made me reflect on what it means to be a school manager, and to learn more about participative management,” said Ms Berta Olumene, a school manager from the MachavaSede Primary School. “The course will have a long-lasting and positive impact because it has provided me with the tools to mobilise the school council to focus on the development of the school and improve the quality of education for our students.”   One of the highlights of the course was the visible change in the attendees' mindsets regarding their methods and how they can implement and share best practices.  “I always blamed others for the failures in the school’s management process,” said Mr Eugénio Gingador, a school manager from the Complete Primary School of Matola J. “I am thankful for the Aga Khan Academy Maputo’s initiative to provide this training. It has certainly helped me change the way I perceive my role as a school manager.”  

As part of his state visit to Mozambique, His Excellency (H.E.) José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of East Timor visited the Aga Khan Academy Maputo on Saturday, 7 July. The visit was also attended by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Carlos Joaquim Zacarias and his delegations from the two countries. The delegation of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Mozambique, composed of Rui Carimo, AKDN Representative Office, and Sónia Neto, Advisor for Diplomatic Relations, Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, along with Head of Academy Roy White, welcomed H.E. President Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to the campus. During the visit, a presentation on AKDN’s operations in Mozambique and around the world was shared, followed by a tour of the campus. The esteemed guests also received an opportunity to interact with some students.  At the end of his visit, H.E. President Ramos-Horta said that "... for the first time I have contact with this Academy; an exceptional work in its pedagogical design, in the offer of infrastructure and conditions for children. It is a model that would be ideal for many countries ... although, of course, not everyone has this possibility to do it with such quality, both in physical infrastructure, but also in equipment so that students can benefit from the infrastructure and the quality of teachers. This project is a model of inspiration around the world for countries, governments, foundations and the United Nations system." Before departing, H.E. President Ramos-Horta wrote in the Academy’s guestbook, commending the Academy and AKDN: "I salute the mandate of His Highness the Aga Khan and the meritorious work of the AKDN in Mozambique, East Timor’s sister country, and in the world. I praise the vision and values of the Aga Khan Academy in training future women and men who can contribute to a more just and prosperous society."

Introducing Jessica Kerigo, our new Academy Fellow.

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa basketball teams defend their titles at the Mombasa County basketball games hosted at Shimo La Tewa Secondary School grounds on 12 and 13 March 2020.

On 17 January, 2020, our Year 8s participated in the annual Inventor's Fair where they showcased various inventions seen in the Silk Road. 

Dani will be attending Berklee College of Music – the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world – in the US to pursue a degree in music ranging from vocal performance, songwriting and film scoring with a minor in English. During her time at the Academy Dani was the head executive of the choir, the Music Director for the Class of 2023 DP1 performance, ‘Mamma Mia!’, a dorm capitan, on several sports team amongst many other accomplishments. “The Academy gave me perspective on numerous aspects of life,” said Dani. “I learnt resilience in the face of academic tribulation and acquired fundamental life lessons through my challenges and victories that I intend to carry forever. The Academy taught me to adapt and excel in more ways than one.”

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa proudly celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2025 on Saturday, 24 May. This year’s ceremony recognised 79 students from around the world, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Pakistan, Canada and the United States, who marked the culmination of their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme journey.  Prior to the ceremony, the graduates gathered for the pinning ceremony. A tradition seen across the Aga Khan Academies, the graduates were awarded an Academies’ pin signifying the completion of their time at the school as they join a growing legacy of alumni across the Academies and wider Aga Khan Schools.  Following this, the graduation ceremony commenced in the Commons building. Head of Academy Colin Webster delivered the opening remarks, emphasising the importance of ethical leadership and the graduates' readiness to contribute positively to society.  

Service learning is an innovative educational approach that combines sustainable service with academic learning objectives. It is an immersive experience that allows students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations, learn about the needs of their local community, and develop essential skills such as empathy, leadership, and teamwork. Kauthar Mohamed, Student Leadership and Service-Learning Coordinator tells us more about the Year 10 Service Learning demonstration.