Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami has visited the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, the latest addition to an integrated global network of non-profit, non-denominational, residential schools known as the Aga Khan Academies. The Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) Diplomatic Resident Representative Munir M. Merali welcomed the the high commissioner on Sunday. Accompanying the High Commissioner were Shubham Yadav, Second Secretary (Projects & Acting Director, IGCC) and Rajinder Singh - Second Secretary (Education). During his meeting with the students of the middle-school, High Commissioner Doraiswami discussed the importance of a good education as a requisite to be able to participate in a globally integrated modern economy. As part of his engagement, Doraiswami encouraged students to be driven by their own imagination and pursue the best education possible – and become leaders in their careers of choice. In a meeting with the Academy’s teachers, Representative Merali introduced the High Commissioner to staff from India. He also met with the participants a part of the Academy’s Teacher Preparation Programme, which consists of local graduates who will train to become International Baccalaureate (IB) certified teachers and spend part of their programme at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in India, where they will be mentored by skilled IB teachers and gain hands-on knowledge inside and outside the classroom. Read: Canada's contribution to Bangladesh's development historic: GM Quader A week before, the Academy opened its doors for the first time to 575 students who began their first academic year at the new 17-acre, state-of-the-art, award-winning campus. The Academy in Dhaka follows the highly successful models established by the Academies in Mombasa, Kenya, Hyderabad, India and Maputo, Mozambique. Following the tour of the campus, Representative Merali, and High Commissioner Doraiswami discussed potential areas of collaboration to improve the quality of education and teaching in Bangladesh. Areas discussed include facilitating Bangladeshis selected to train at the Academy in Hyderabad, India and the Indian High Commission offering to provide language, arts, and cultural programmes for the students at the Academy in Dhaka. The High Commissioner also informed of a robust scholarship program sponsored by the High Commission that is available to all qualified Bangladeshi students who may wish to pursue higher education at some of the leading universities and educational institutes in India. On behalf of AKDN, Representative Merali conveyed his appreciation for the support accorded by the Indian government and the relevant local State authorities to the Network’s activities in India and thanked the High Commissioner for gifting the sanitizing machines and reading books to the Academy. The AKDN Forum Members also met and appreciated the visit of the delegation of the Indian High Commission to the Academy.

Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Diplomatic Representative for Bangladesh Munir M Merali on Sunday said education remains a key area of interest for AKDN in Bangladesh. He spoke about Aga Khan’s vision for the Academies and the impact that its future leaders would have in the decades to come. With around 40 million young students in the primary and secondary education system in the country, the quality of education and teaching is most important, he said. "For this and other reasons, AKDN is committed to helping improve the education sector by developing models of excellence in education, such as the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka," said Merali while welcoming students, staff and parents gathering on the grounds on the momentous opening day. The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, an agency of the AKDN, opened its doors for the first time on Sunday to 575 students. Also read: Aga Khan School holds first in-person graduation ceremony after 2019 The long-awaited moment was met with anticipation, excitement and joy as students explored their new 17-acre, state-of-the-art, award-winning campus. “I am feeling so ecstatic right now for the first day of classes, and to learn here and dive deep into various topics and use them in my daily life,” said Grade 6 student Dootee Oronna.  Located in Bashundhara, the Academy is the fourth in an integrated global network of non-profit, non-denominational, residential schools. The Aga Khan Academies is dedicated to expanding access to education of an international standard of excellence to exceptional girls and boys regardless of their ability to pay. Also read: UK Education Expo 2022 to be held in Chittagong Saturday Currently, 50 per cent of students across the Academies receive some level of financial aid through scholarship funding. The Academy in Dhaka follows the highly successful models established by the Academies in Mombasa, Kenya, Hyderabad, India and Maputo, Mozambique. In addition, the Academy carries forward the legacy of The Aga Khan School, Dhaka – which has been providing high quality education to students in Dhaka for over 30 years – with more than 90 percent of students from the school transitioning to the Academy. AKDN has been active in Bangladesh for nearly seven decades, working in areas of early childhood development, pre-tertiary education and financial services within the country. In 2013, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and AKDN signed a Protocol of Cooperation – building off an earlier protocol signed in 1993 – to enhance the collaboration between the country and AKDN in areas of economic, cultural and social development.  In addition to providing excellence in education, this Academy will also be rooted in the local contexts of Bangladesh, with the aim of developing well-rounded, ethical homegrown leaders who will use the knowledge they have gained to enhance the quality of life in their home country. Similar to its sister Academies, the Academy in Dhaka is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The curriculum is designed to be inquiry-based and holistic, which is complemented by the Academy’s co-curricular, arts, athletic and community service initiatives. This will be further enhanced through the Academy’s residential programme, which – once established in the near future – will bring students and staff from around the world to the Academy to provide a broad selection of activities and leadership opportunities. Parents equally shared the excitement of students, who were eager to get to their classrooms. “We’ve been waiting for the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka to open, and we really wanted our daughter to go to a school that provides all the facilities from arts, to academics, to sports and everything else,” said Nehal Ahamad, a parent of a Grade 3 student, who attended the parents’ morning coffee event at the Academy. “We’re very excited to be here and to meet the parents, the staff and the teachers. It’s a wonderful campus – well done to the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka.” For the teachers at the Academy, not only are they looking forward to beginning this academic year at a new campus with state-of-the-art facilities, but also to the professional development opportunities they will be exposed to through the Academy’s Professional Development Centre.  "I’m excited to be here at the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka because we’re making history here – we have a wonderful campus that caters to our students’ needs and we have an incredible curriculum,” English teacher Tahmina Begum said. “I’m happy to be a part of this history here that is also allowing me to become a better teacher for my students through the professional development workshops the Academy will provide.”  The establishment of the new Academy has been made possible by the continued support of the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, whose vision for excellence in education has closely aligned with that of AKDN, as well as the dedicated staff and parents, all of whom have contributed to ensure that the students have access to the very best standards of education at the Academy. 

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) on Saturday said they are in the process of establishing a new centre of educational excellence in Dhaka – The Aga Khan Academy. This is being done in line with the renewed protocol of cooperation signed between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Government of Bangladesh. The Aga Khan has recently established a single agency, the Aga Khan Schools (AKS), which embraces both the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Education Services schools globally. Read IPDC Extends Partnership with NEF Sports Academy The agency is consolidating its future education activities in Bangladesh around the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, said the AKDN on Saturday. Designed to international standards, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will also offer an award winning campus built to accommodate 1,200 students, with residential facilities on an 18-acre site. Students and teachers will have access to purpose-built facilities and abundant green spaces for learning, recreation, sports and the arts. Read Aga Khan Academy set to develop future leaders for Bangladesh The Academy in Dhaka will be the fourth in the global network of 18 Aga Khan Academies, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique). The Academy plans to welcome the first cohort of students in July 2022, thereby continuing the AKDN’s tradition of providing outstanding educational services in Bangladesh for more than three decades.

The Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka will soon begin its journey with “globally-minded but locally rooted” diversified students to develop future leaders for Bangladesh, officials said on Wednesday. “I’ve visited many educational institutions across the world. I can tell you, amazing things are going to happen on this campus,” said Theodore John Coburn, the Founding Head of the Academy in Dhaka, while describing the goal and facilities of the Academy to a small group of journalists. The goal of The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka is to develop future leaders for Bangladesh who are equipped with the skills to compete in a highly interconnected, competitive, and globalised world. Read: Bangladeshi Marina Tabassum in Aga Khan Award for Architecture’s Steering Committee “In addition to providing a rigorous academic and leadership experience, the Academies help students develop ethical and pluralistic behaviours through community engagement and service,” said Coburn who spent many years in the USA. He said global as well as local perspectives are reflected in the curriculum, and students’ study in both English and Bangla languages, with a high percentage expected to graduate with a bilingual IB Diploma. Admission process will start next month for the academic year starting from July 2022 when the Academy will be welcoming the first cohort of students, said the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Read Govt to set up National Judicial Academy: Law Minister Award-winning and designed to international standards, the Academy in Dhaka, what they say an educational centre of excellence, will be the fourth in the network of 18 Aga Khan Academies globally, joining those in Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique). Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen who visited the Academy campus in Dhaka recently said the investments made by AKDN in the country and the establishment of this landmark project in Dhaka is in part a result of the cordial bilateral relations between the AKDN and the government of Bangladesh. “The Ministry looks forward to facilitating and supporting all such worthy investments specially to help educate future global Bangladeshi leaders,” he said. Read:Dhaka urges UN to take immediate steps to resolve Rohingya crisis AKDN’s Resident Diplomatic Representative Munir M Merali said the Academy will have diversity in the classrooms with students from various parts of the country. “Education remains a key area of interest for the Network in Bangladesh,” he said acknowledging the support of the government.