MATOLA, June 29: The Aga Khan, the spiritual head of the Ismaili community, joined President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique on Monday in announcing the creation of Aga Khan Academy, Maputo, an academic centre of excellence which will be the second of some 20 being established by the Aga Khan Development Network across the Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.

"To educate is a task that belongs to us all," said President Chissano, calling "the promotion of quality education for all Mozambicans, a prime condition in the struggle against poverty in our country".

According to a press release, the Aga Khan, speaking on the occasion, noted that governments everywhere were now beginning to appreciate the contribution of not-for-profit private providers of social services to address the challenges of rising expectations that compounded historically unmet needs.

"International partnerships in education are increasingly seen as vehicles for introducing best practices, tried and tested" he said.