Spotlights

From the construction of the Aga Khan Academy Maputo’s very first buildings to some of its final facilities, Laura Ivens Brandão has been involved in the AKA Maputo’s development and expansion since the very beginning.

Mozambique’s Minister of Education and Human Development Rita Carmelita Namashulua visited AKA Maputo to experience how the Academy nurtures future leaders. Touring classrooms, residences and sports facilities, she engaged with students and educators.

The Junior School came together to celebrate Marrabenta, Mozambique’s traditional dance music. Dressed in capulana outfits, students and staff learnt the history and dance moves during assembly and enjoyed games, songs and performances in the afternoon.

Mozambican journalist Armando Inguane spoke to Grade 8 students about journalism and the media via a virtual session. Students asked questions and learnt about reporting, journalist texts and media work.

Her Excellency Victoria Dias Diogo, Secretary of State for Maputo Province, visited the Academy, engaging warmly with students and staff during her campus tour. She explored classrooms and new developments, praising the Academy’s inclusive vision.

Lilian Odera has a passion for actively being involved in community-based initiatives to influence change and creatively find solutions to issues in whatever way she can.

Identifying the impact of education policy and the influence of change at a systemic level, Karim Ismail has experience in non-classroom-based roles. He has worked with many schools to build on existing capacities to improve potential and has qualified to train teachers to become IB certified.

From a shy teenager in a children’s theatre group to a passionate Drama teacher at the Academy, Rosa Jorge has made the arts her lifelong stage. 

Drama teacher Rosa Jorge guided students in exploring two cultures through a hands-on mask-making workshop led by Alfredo Semo. From shaping clay to painting masks inspired by the Nyau and Mapiko tribes, students learnt teamwork, creativity and cultural respect.

His Excellency President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal visited AKA Maputo, where he toured the campus and engaged with students. Speaking in Portuguese and English, he shared lessons on leadership and service, leaving a lasting impression on the community.

Adilia Cabral believes teaching is an act of love and trust. At the Academy, she nurtures a classroom where every voice matters and every student feels seen.

Idah Khan O’Neill, PYP Teacher Coach at AKA Maputo, has journeyed from Singapore to Indonesia, Denmark and now Mozambique, shaping classrooms and teachers with creativity and play. Fluent in multiple languages, she brings inquiry to life, blending ethics, curiosity and hands-on learning.

Maike Silver believes leadership begins in the classroom. She nurtures young learners to think deeply, care fiercely and lead ethically. Guided by the Academy’s mission, Maike sees education as a transformative factor.

Hear from alumnus Moiz Rajwani, a Class of 2018 graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, on how our inquiry-based curriculum develops young individuals who will have the capacity to lead and build strong, civil democratic societies in the future.

For the Middle Years Programme (MYP) Coordinator, Rebecca Nichols, the sky is the limit when envisaging the future of the Aga Khan Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. More importantly, in her eyes, how the Academy keeps growing, shaping and expanding its role in the country and beyond must lie in the hands of students.

Grade 6 student Areesh Rehmani from AKA Maputo is a curious learner and avid sportsperson passionate about science, technology and languages. Fluent in English and Portuguese, he enjoys exploring cultures while excelling in academics and football.

Teaching is an act of care and a shared journey of discovery for Pinto Belo João. Once a shy student himself, Pinto now inspires curiosity in his Grade 2 class at AKA Maputo.

Sumeya Taquidir shares, “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.”

Rosa Jorge, Drama teacher at AKA Maputo, turned her shy childhood into a lifelong passion for theatre. From local theatre groups to becoming an IB-certified teacher through the Academy’s Teacher Preparation Programme, she learnt to empower students through the arts.

Courageous and confident, Maria Atalia Matola travelled out of Maputo, Mozambique for the first time in her life to teach at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya as part of the Aga Khan Academies’ Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP). 

“For me, being a teacher is not a simple task – rather, it requires love and skill,” says AKA, Maputo teacher Sandra Marise de Abreu Antunes. Sandra’s classroom is an inspiring place where students not only expand their knowledge but also learn to respect each other, express their ideas freely and dream big.