Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Karachi

Curriculum

A Rigorous Academic Experience

To bring diversity and rigour to the learning experiences of our students, the Aga Khan Higher Secondary Schools have a two-fold curriculum approach. First, the syllabi prescribed by the examination boards are enriched, which means that the entire curriculum is reviewed and revised with special focus on certain themes and concepts.

The teaching of English is skill-based, focusing on reading and critical thinking skills, writing skills, oral communication skills, as well as includes formal and lexical aspects, and also, ethical and social dimensions of language learning. The Science teaching and learning focuses more on conceptual understanding and exploration, inquiry-based learning, project work, practical experimentation, scientific literacy, environmental awareness, etc.”

Secondly, learning is made interesting and exciting with the help of innovative and creative strategies. In addition, the School is introducing Physical Education and Health, as well as PrISM — Personal, Intellectual, Social and Moral development — curriculums.

Classroom sessions are student-centered with a focus on interactive teaching that includes discussions, case studies and research projects. For assessment, the School is affiliated with the Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB), the only examination board in South Asia to integrate e-marking, or computer-based marking, in its assessment methodology.

Currently, the School offers instruction in the following areas: Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) in Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering, Science General and Commerce.

Secondary School Certificate (SSC)

The School offers science subjects at Secondary level. These subjects include Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Pakistan Studies, Islamiat and Urdu. The School follows Aga Khan University Examination syllabus prescribed by National Curriculum Wing.

Higher Secondary School Certificate in Pre-Medical

For Pre-Medical students, the schools lay the foundations for a professional career. The two years at Aga Khan Higher Secondary Schools are extremely important for the students’ personal and academic development, and preparation for a challenging professional journey.

The Higher Secondary Pre-Medical programme provides a general exposure to the basics of scientific inquiry. It is an entry point to a host of fields within medicine, such as Physiotherapy, Surgery, Pharmacy, Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, and so on. The scientific skills of the students are polished in an atmosphere conducive to learning, and under the guidance of a fully-qualified, passionate and devoted faculty. Students attend lectures, take part in interactive sessions, and conduct practicals in well-equipped labs.

Higher Secondary School Certificate in Pre-Engineering

The Higher Secondary Pre-Engineering provides general exposure to many aspects of basic scientific inquiry. All courses within the programme are designed to prepare students to pursue different fields of engineering such as Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Aeronautical, Architectural, Telecom, Chemical, Environmental, Space and others. This is achieved through detailed lectures, interactive sessions, seminars, and practicals in well-equipped labs.

Science General

The Science General stream provides an overall exposure to many key aspects of science. The programme develops the basic scientific skills of the students in the fields of Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics through detailed lectures, interactive sessions, seminars and practicals in well-equipped labs.

Commerce

A practical approach to teaching is taken for courses such as Accounting, Banking, Principles of Commerce, Commercial Geography, Business Studies, Economics and Statistics to make learning stimulating and relatable.

Through the study of various market reports, case studies and reference materials, students develop skillsets that make them independent learners with analytical and problem solving skills.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Besides developing academic excellence, the School strongly believes in the importance of extra-curricular activities for students’ holistic growth.

A number of societies and committees are in place for this purpose:

  • The Science Society
  • The Pinnacle Society (publishes the School magazine)
  • The Art, Drama and Music Society
  • The English Literary Society
  • The Urdu Adabi Committee
  • The Commerce Society
  • The Social Welfare Society
  • The Sports Society
  • The Plantation Society
  • The PAKHSSians (work to improve the general knowledge of the students)
  • The Library Society