Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane is leading a project to revitalise South Africa’s historic schools.
”We want to restore and preserve these schools for future generations,” said Ndungane in a statement on Tuesday. ”We want them to be centres of cultural and educational excellence, rooted in their communities, feeding into the universities, a source of pride and leadership for our children and our children’s children.”
The archbishop is visiting KwaZulu-Natal this week to meet principals, students, staff, governing bodies and alumni of four historic schools in and around Durban.
He will also discuss the project with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele.
”When Bantu education was introduced during the apartheid years, these wonderful schools, which were the breeding ground for the black intelligentsia and many of our struggle leaders, were sidelined or taken over by the government,” said Ndungane.
”Many had to shut their doors and their beautiful, historic buildings are now in a state of collapse. Some struggle on, still managing to produce good matric results despite inadequate resources. This is a denial of an important part of our culture and heritage in this country.”
Ndungane is an alumnus of Lovedale College in the Eastern Cape — along with President Thabo Mbeki, Dr Hlope Bam and the late South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani.
The campaign was initiated by Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan, as part of the celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of the African prophet Ntsikana, said Ndungane’s office.
Ntsikana, following visions from God, preached Christianity, educated himself and encouraged other Africans to learn to read, thereby providing a fertile ground for the establishment of historic mission schools by churches around the country.
Ndungane said the campaign is working with the departments of arts and culture, and education, as well as with teachers, academics, other churches, business and civil society. — Sapa