Three KZN schools receive libraries from Iqraa Trust

Ahmed Motala (New Africa), Mrs S Singh (Deputy Principal), Dr S Bhoora (Principal), Mr A.N.S. Ndlovu (DOE), Dr Mahmoud Y Baker (Iqraa Trust) and Miss M.V. Magubane (DOE), Miss A Jairam (Educator), Mrs A Pillay (Educator) seen with excited learners of Umkomaas Drift Primary school.

This is something that the Iqraa Trust - which was established in 1994 by Albaraka Bank - understands wholeheartedly. The scope of the trust’s activities covers the fields of education, health, welfare and social development. In emergencies the trust has also provided assistance for disaster relief.

The three primary schools that were chosen with the assistance of the Umlazi District of the Department of Education KwaZulu-Natal were Umkomaas Drift Primary, Naidooville Primary and Kingsburgh Primary.

Despite the enormous efforts of the educators and staff at the three schools, the learners’ lack of library facilities has proved a huge impediment in improving the children’s literacy rates.

Key partner

Iqraa Trust approached New Africa Education Foundation, an NPO and key partner of the Department of Basic Education, to oversee the project on their behalf. The NPO recently completed several mobile library projects for 20 schools in Kwa Mashu, ten in Pietermaritzburg and now in Umlazi and this was considered a viable option for the three primary schools.

Under the management of Dr Mahmoud Youssef Baker, chairman of Iqraa Trust, an amount of R100,000 was provided to fund this project. A good education is founded on the premise that the environment be conducive to learning and teaching.

"Learners should have access to decent infrastructure, facilities and resources necessary for learning. Sadly, in South Africa the legacy of our past does not always render this basic fundamental a reality. All too often we find that our country's schools - especially those serving the historically disadvantaged or today's lower income groups - do not measure up," Dr Baker explained.

Necessary tools

"Many fall short in terms of both infrastructure and the provision of the tools necessary to give effect to efficient teaching and effective learning and we hope that our contribution is a small step to making an improvement," said Dr Baker.

The project was officially launched at the schools on 11 February 2016, and it is Dr Baker’s fervent hope that learners read to learn, read for enjoyment and enrichment and that this is just the start of a small step towards combating illiteracy in South Africa.

According to Louis Taylor, director of partnerships in education, “the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is highly appreciative of the contributions made by business in order to improve quality education in less privileged communities. The DBE welcomes this initiative by Iqraa Trust and will ensure that this contribution of learning resources will be optimised by the schools."