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The Rhodesia Herald, 18 November, 1962
SOUTHERN Rhodesia’s first African-Muslim school, where the Koran will be taught, is expected to be opened next year at Headlands.
It is the result of five years’ work by the African-Muslim Society. It will accommodate 500 boarders – 300 boys and 200 girls – and provide senior primary and secondary education.
It is being financed principally by Kuwait Educational Council, who are donating £80 000. Another £900 has yet to be raised. So far, no financial aid has come from within the Federation.
Mr Daudi Ali Malunga, the society’s organising secretary, said yesterday that the Federal and Southern Rhodesia Governments were sympathetic towards the project and that financial support from outside the Federation would be allowed so long as the project was purely educational and had no political ties.
Mr Malunga said: “We are completely non-political. Pupils will also be admitted from other African countries where similar educational facilities for African Muslims do not exist. This includes South Africa, Swaziland, Basutoland and Bechuanaland.
On Sunday he begins a three-month tour to discuss African-Muslim education in the Federation. He will see President Nasser, who has promised to finance two such schools for primary education, one in Northern Rhodesia, the other in Southern Rhodesia, and in London the Aga Khan, who has financed a number of schools in East Africa.
Mr Malunga said he hopes to recruit teaching staff from Zanzibar. The education provided would be free.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- The establishment of Southern Rhodesia’s first African-Muslim school, where the Koran was taught, represented a significant milestone in the educational landscape of the region.
- The anticipated opening of Southern Rhodesia’s first African-Muslim school signified not only an advancement for the local Muslim community, but also contributed positively to the broader educational landscape of Zimbabwe by addressing specific cultural needs while fostering inclusivity.
- The creation of the school provided an opportunity for the African-Muslim community to have a dedicated space for education that reflected their cultural and religious values. This was crucial in promoting identity and heritage among young Muslims in the region.
Online Reporter