Samina Baig inspires AKU-EB high achievers in Gilgit

GILGIT:

Renowned mountaineer Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest, addressed young learners at the Aga Khan University Examination Board’s (AKU-EB) High Achievers Ceremony 2025 in Gilgit on Thursday, telling them that “no mountain is too high and no dream too far.”

The Ceremony, which began in Karachi and continued in Chitral, concluded in Gilgit, symbolically tracing a journey of excellence across Pakistan’s diverse regions.

The event, held under the theme “You Are a Drop in the Ocean,” celebrated the exceptional accomplishments of students from Gilgit-Baltistan and highlighted the Board’s mission to promote learning that connects intellect with empathy and individual achievement with collective good.

“Every success begins with clarity of purpose — and you have the best institutions to help you define that purpose,” Baig said, addressing the gathering as Chief Guest.

Earlier, Dr Naveed Yousuf, Chief Executive Officer of AKU-EB, welcomed students, parents, and educators who lauded the achievements of the region’s top performers. Since its inception in 2002, the Board has graduated more than 80,000 students under its SSC and HSSC qualifications, he noted.

“You are the new chapter in AKU-EB’s story — a story of fairness, innovation, and hope,” Dr Yousuf said. “We envision an education system where assessments inspire discovery, schools become centres of innovation, and every AKU-EB graduate steps into the world not just ready to succeed, but ready to make a difference.”

As Guest of Honour, Imtiaz Momin, Chief Executive Officer of the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKESP), reaffirmed AKESP’s partnership with AKU-EB and announced that all AKESP schools will be affiliated with the Board within the next two years.

“Eighty percent of AKESP schools already affiliated with AKU-EB achieve A+ results,” he said. “This reflects AKU-EB’s excellence in promoting critical thinking, rigorous assessment, and equitable opportunities for learners.”

He added that the year’s theme, “You Are a Drop in the Ocean”, carried a deeper message: that true success lies not only in academic excellence but also in collective responsibility toward society and the planet.

High achiever Shuja, speaking on behalf of the students, echoed that sentiment with a call for climate action. “Each of us is a drop, small but vital. Together, we form the ocean that carries hope, change, and a better tomorrow,” he said.

According to AKU-EB’s University Destination Survey, 92 percent of its graduates secure university admissions, with half joining the top 15 HEC-ranked institutions in Pakistan.

Each ceremony, AKU-EB said, reaffirmed its mission to nurture thoughtful, ethical, and compassionate learners ready to contribute to a sustainable and inclusive future.