Live Correspondent: The Graduation Ceremony of the Aga Khan School, Dhaka, for the Academic Year 2020-21, was held recently. The event, which was premiered virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrated the significant achievements of the graduating class. Dr Dale Taylor, the Principal, in her address to the graduates recognized the unprecedented circumstances of their last academic year culminating within the context of the pandemic and addressed the uncertainty of these young graduates entering a post-pandemic future, said a press release on Wednesday (June 30).

She reassured the students that the journey that led to their graduation was a testament to their tenacity, ingenuity, and resilience and that their adaptability would pave the path to their success despite the adversities.

Amyn Saleh, Chairman of the Aga Khan Education Service, Bangladesh congratulated the class of 2021 for their perseverance and persistence throughout their school years.

He addressed how this graduation ceremony celebrated years of education that motivated these young learners to gain knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to thrive in a complex, dynamic and diverse world. He concluded by wishing the graduates the greatest success as well as showing his confidence in them for bringing a positive change in society.

Chief Guest Munir M Merali, Resident Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Bangladesh, recognized and congratulated the exceptional class of graduates. He motivated them to fully embrace the role of being 'authentic leaders' who are fearlessly explorative and sincerely empathetic.

Merali advised the graduates to develop pragmatic and innovative solutions for the devastating inequities of the world as well as to persevere, in earnest, to alleviate the struggles of vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Fahmida Chowdhury, Head of Secondary School, congratulated the graduates for the extraordinary tenacity and enthusiasm demonstrated by them during the pandemic.

She encouraged the graduates to dream fearlessly, work tirelessly and embark on the new phases of their lives with unending curiosity. She also extolled them to seek out experiences to enrich their knowledge and build their characters, whilst acknowledging, respecting, and celebrating each other's differences.

Class Valedictorians Aariyana Hussain and Syed Wafi spoke of the wonderful and unparalleled journey that led to their graduation.

Aariyana Hussain expressed her deep gratitude towards the school, her teachers, and classmates for their support, encouragement, and camaraderie, which proved to be an indispensable asset over the last year.

Syed Wafi reminisced about the transformative journey of the graduating class in the school and encouraged juniors to be bold in their aspirations and not to be discouraged by a failure like that, too, which is a cornerstone for success.

The Aga Khan School, Dhaka's graduating class of 75 students received offers from 92 universities across eight countries and scholarship offers worth over $1.3 million.

Operating for over thirty years, the Aga Khan School in Dhaka is considered one of the top-performing English medium schools in Dhaka and is also authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), along with the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels.

Dhaka, 30 June (campuslive24.com)//AIT