Principal - Aga Khan School, Dhaka Candidate Pack, February 2017
Aga Khan Education Services Principal, Aga Khan School, Dhaka, Bangladesh Candidate Pack – February 2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is one of the largest private educational networks in the developing world. AKES currently operates over 200+ schools and educational programmes across East Africa, and Central and South Asia. It provides a diverse mix of quality pre-school, primary, secondary, and higher secondary education services to more than 65,000 students in the developing world. AKES is currently looking to appoint a Principal to assume the leadership of the Aga Khan School, Dhaka (AKS,D). AKS,D is a highly regarded coeducational day school for 1200 students, offering an international education from Pre-K through to Grade 12. As well as providing pedagogic leadership to the school, the Principal will provide support to the Country Manager and the Board of Directors for the planning of a new school campus, the relocation of the programme into the new premises, and the retrofitting of existing facilities. This is a vitally important role with genuine transformational potential. The successful candidate will be an accomplished Head of School with a proven track record of successfully driving academic standards. Applications should consist of a CV, ideally accompanied by a covering letter addressing the criteria in the Person Specification. These can be uploaded via the website of AKES’ recruitment partners Society: www.society-search.com or emailed to hannah.doughty@society-search.com. The deadline for receipt of applications is 12:00 GMT on Friday 24th March 2017.
THE AGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
The AKDN is a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in specific regions of the developing world. The Network’s organisations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and the promotion of private-sector enterprise. Together, they work towards a common goal – to build institutions and programmes that can respond to the challenges of social, economic and cultural change on an on-going basis. The Network works in 30 countries. It employs approximately 80,000 people, the majority of whom are based in developing countries, and has an annual budget for non-profit development activities of approximately US $600 million. For more information please visit www.akdn.org. The Aga Khan The AKDN was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan. The Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary Imam (Spiritual Leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. In the context of his hereditary responsibilities, His Highness has been deeply engaged with the development of Asia and Africa for more than 50 years.
AGA KHAN EDUCATION SERVICES
Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) is one of the largest private educational networks in the developing world, employing nearly 3,000 teachers and educating over 65,000 students. It currently operates over 200+ schools and educational programmes that provide quality pre-
school, primary, secondary, and higher secondary education services to students in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates. As a secular, non-denominational institution, its programmes are offered to members of all communities, reflecting the strong belief held by AKDN in the positive value of pluralism and diversity. AKES originated in the endeavours of the current Aga Khan’s grandfather and predecessor, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan. These included community-based literacy classes taught in remote rural settings in South East Asia. The first schools to be set up in the Aga Khan’s name were established as early as 1905, and were strikingly progressive for their time and place, with an emphasis on making schooling available to both girls and boys, and stressing the importance of early childhood education. A Change Agenda AKES is currently undertaking a major repositioning exercise, looking to transition from a national/regional focus towards a truly global school system. In parallel with this transformation, it is planning significant capital expenditure in order to update and overhaul many of its existing schools. The network’s approach to the curriculum is also being repositioned, with plans afoot to recast its provision under a series of specific typologies. For example:
specialist Science and Technology schools; specialist Humanities schools; Rural Curriculum schools and e-education provision; International Baccalaureate (IB) schools; model National Curriculum schools; Techno-Vocational specialisations.
Through fully recognising the diversity of AKES’s global portfolio, it is hoped that this system will open up opportunities for mobility of students and staff, and for the development and exchange of best practice across the education system and other AKDN agencies. AKES already works closely with the staff of other agencies within AKDN, including the Aga Khan Academies, the Aga Khan University, and the Aga Khan Foundation, with regards to all aspects of school management and development. It is hoped that these links can be further deepened in the years to come.
AKES IN BANGLADESH
AKES’ operation in Bangladesh centres around the highly regarded Aga Khan School, Dhaka (AKS,D), a PreK-12 day school for 1200 students. The School offers the PYP in the early years, followed by a curriculum based largely on the MYP in Grades 6-8, and the CIE IGCSE and A Levels in Grades 9-12. Established in 1988, the school is today considered one of the top English medium schools in the country. It’s a selective school with students sitting for an entrance examination and attending an interview with their parents in order to be considered for admission. AKS,D is nondenominational and students of all faiths attend. In 2015/16, 98% of students received grades A*-C in their IGCSEs, and 86% at A Level. In the same year, 62% received six or more As and A*s in their IGCSEs, and 25% received three or more As and A*s at A Level. Outcomes across all subjects offered at the school compare very favourably with the global average as published by CIE. On overage around 40% of graduates go abroad for university with the rest attending locally in Bangladesh. For more information on student destinations, please visit the Career Counselling page on the AKS,D website. A number of exciting developments lie ahead for AKS,D over the next five years. AKES is currently in the process of acquiring land on which to build a brand new campus to house the school. This will be designed to facilitate the repositioning of AKS.D as a specialist STEM school. It is also in the final stages of gaining authorization to implement the IB Diploma Programme.
ABOUT DHAKA
Dhaka is Bangladesh’s sprawling capital. Located almost exactly in the centre of the country, it is home to almost 17 million people, making it a densely populated and vibrant economic hub. The website Lonely Planet has this to say about the city: “Dhaka is not a quiet, retiring place. The city, bursting with nearly 17 million people (most of whom often seem to be stuck in the same traffic jam as you), is a gloriously noisy and chaotic place, bubbling with energy. It's a city that can sometimes threaten to overwhelm the casual visitor, but once you climb into the back of one of its myriad colourful cycle-rickshaws, Dhaka's charm starts to slowly reveal itself. Life flows from the boats on the Buriganga River to its unexpectedly green parks and university campuses. Mughal and British monuments speak of its history, its mosques and Hindu temples of its spiritual side, and the thriving arts and restaurant scenes – plus the rush to build new roads and a metro railway system – give a glimpse of the direction of future travel. Dhaka isn't without challenges, but sooner or later you'll start to move to its rhythm and truly embrace this furiously beating heart of Bengali culture.”
Accessibility Dhaka is serviced by various international airlines, connecting it to a number of major destinations. These include, but are not limited to: Bangkok (Thai Airways); Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian Airlines); Singapore (Singapore Airlines); Kolkata (Jet Airways); Delhi (Regent Airways); Dubai (Emirates); Beijing (Southern China Airlines); Bahrain (Gulf Air); and Istanbul (Turkish Airlines). Housing Accommodation will be provided in the Gulshan or Baridhara neighbourhoods. These are both in close proximity of AKS,D and are generally very safe to move about in. There are a number of restaurants offering a range of cuisines, as well as large shopping centres, hotels, members clubs, embassies and international schools, making these parts of town very popular with expatriates.
ABOUT BANGLADESH
Bangladesh is located on the northern edge of the Bay of Bengal. It is surrounded almost entirely by India over a border of 4,053 kilometres, save for a small strip of 193 kilometres which it shares with Myanmar. The country’s 580 kilometres of coastline faces the Bay of Bengal which eventually flows south into the Indian Ocean. With a total land mass of 144,000 square kilometres and a population of approximately 144 million, Bangladesh is a densely populated country. It has a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by wide seasonal variations in rainfall, moderately warm temperatures, and high humidity. Three seasons are generally recognized: a hot summer from March to June; a humid rainy monsoon season from June to October; and a cool dry winter from October to March. Maximum summer temperatures tend to range between 32°C and 38°C, with July to August being the warmest months. January is the coolest month when the average temperature for most of the country is about 10°C. Politically, Bangladesh is a multiparty parliamentary representative democracy, modelled on the Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The national language is “Bangla” (also called “Bengali”). Bangladesh is home to a number of tourist attractions, including the longest natural sea beach in the world at Cox’s Bazaar:
...and the Sundarbans, a dense mangrove forest and home to the Royal Bengal tiger:
ROLE DESCRIPTION
The Principal will be an expert educator responsible for leading the Aga Khan School, Dhaka as it repositions itself as a STEM school. S/he will steward the school through the implementation of the IB Diploma Programme, while bringing efficiencies to the overall management and operations of the school. Focusing relentlessly on quality teaching, the Principal will strengthen student learning and thereby further raise the profile of the Aga Khan School, Dhaka. The Principal will also provide support to the Country Manager and the Board of Directors for the planning of a new school campus and the retrofitting of existing facilities. Reporting into the Country Manager with a dotted line into AKES’ Global Academic Director, this is a vitally important role with genuine transformational potential. Key responsibilities include:
providing an educational vision and direction to secure the highest level of achievement for each pupil; sustaining the growth of students’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life; fostering a conducive teaching and learning environment which manifests the values and ethos of AKDN and best educational practice and results in positive learning outcomes for each student; providing instructional and management leadership for the primary and secondary schools; driving the repositioning of AKS,D as a STEM school in keeping with the strategic direction of AKES; ensuring continuous strengthening of the existing curricula including introduction of appropriate and relevant programmes within these curricula, successful external verification and "audit" reviews and effective implementation of agreed new curriculum frameworks such as STEM and IBCC; supporting this strengthening of the curricula by leading the professional development of teachers; procuring requisite equipment, facilities, textbooks and other teaching and learning resources; and through effective monitoring and evaluation of curriculum delivery; developing and implementing short-term and long-term school development plans to ensure well planned interventions to meet agreed targets (to include a facilities maintenance plan), in consultation with the Country Manager, and based on approval of the Board of Directors; working with Heads of Schools to establish school quality indicators, monitor progress and guide improvement against these indicators; driving the academic, sports and after school activities curriculum in accordance with best educational practice and the strategic objectives for AKES,B; overseeing the Faculty Crèche programme and working towards creating an independently operated Early Learning Centre; monitoring educational trends locally and internationally, and developing reports and proposals for changes to ensure delivery of relevant education in AKES,B schools.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful candidate will be a dynamic leader with a proven ability to lead strategic change within an education system. S/he will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following qualifications, experience and specific attributes:
a post-graduate degree in Education from an accredited university; minimum of ten years’ experience with the International Baccalaureate, the last four of which should be in leadership and management; sound knowledge and understanding of the international education sector and experience in the South Asian education environment or other similar context; excellent understanding of, and experience in, curriculum management, design, implementation and evaluation; understanding of strategies for raising students’ achievement and of effective frameworks for school improvement planning and self-evaluation; ability to work in partnership with Heads of School, school staff, students, parents and other stakeholders; excellent written and verbal communication skills; passionate about delivering high quality services to children and their families; advocate for diversity, pluralism and the unique contribution every individual makes to the community.
APPOINTMENT DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY
AKES is being assisted in this appointment process by the executive search firm Society. Applications should consist of a CV, ideally accompanied by a brief covering letter addressing the criteria in the Person Specification. These documents can be uploaded via Society’s website: www.society-search.com or emailed directly to hannah.doughty@society-search.com. The deadline for receipt of applications is midday on Friday 24th March 2017. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in Dhaka in April. An appointment will be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references. The appointed candidate will be offered a salary that is commensurate with their experience and the seniority of their new role.