Aga Khan Announces the East African Community’s First Regional University to be based in Arusha

Aga Khan Announces the East African Community’s First Regional University to be based in Arusha

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Dar es Salaam , Tanzania, 19 August 2007–His Highness the Aga Khan – the spiritual leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims has announced plans to build a major new university campus in Arusha, in north-eastern Tanzania. He said the 450-million dollar complex will be developed over the coming 15 years.

The Ismaili leader made the announcement on Saturday, August 18th, during an official dinner hosted in his honour by Tanzania’s President, His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

The Aga Khan said the decision to build the Arusha campus represented the biggest expansion move for the Aga Khan University – AKU – since it opened its first campus in Karachi, Pakistan, nearly 25 years ago. He stressed that the decision to erect a new campus in Arusha stemmed from his faith in the future of the East African Region.

“We hope that the University will be a source of effective leadership for the East Africa of tomorrow,” he said. Arusha is the official seat of the East African Community which includes Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

The Tanzanian President praised the Aga Khan’s development efforts in his country and described the specific decision to build the Arusha campus as “good news for us.” The Tanzanian President thanked the Aga Khan for coming to Tanzania during his first Golden Jubilee trip as the Ismaili Imam. “Your deep attachment to our country has always been a source of pride and inspiration for us,” he said.

Tanzania was the second leg of the Aga Khan’s trip to East Africa – his first visit to the region since he completed 50 years as the Ismaili Imam on July 11th. Last week, the Ismaili leader visited Kenya where he announced a US$ 250 million project to create an AKU faculty of health sciences in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

“The Arusha and Nairobi projects of the Aga Khan University together represent a US $ 700 million investment in tertiary education in East Africa. The Aga Khan emphasised that the expansion of the Aga Khan University was a logical consequence of the Aga Khan Development Network’s investment in primary and secondary education. “Each forward step must lead to new steps,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday the Aga Khan visited the Island of Zanzibar –home to one of East Africa’s oldest Ismaili communities and the site of the region’s most ancient Ismaili jamatkhana (community prayer hall).

During an official luncheon hosted by Zanzibar’s President His Excellency Abeid Amani Karume, the Ismaili leader described Zanzibar as a “cultural jewel” and expressed readiness to invest in rehabilitation of the Island’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, concentrated in the Old Stone Town.

In Zanzibar, the Aga Khan was enthusiastically greeted by the Island’s small but vibrant Ismaili community. On Friday, the Aga Khan met the members of the Ismaili community in Dar-es-Salaam, including thousands of community members from East Africa and visitors from around the world.

On Sunday, the Aga Khan arrived in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, where he met with the country’s President Yoweri Museveni. He is scheduled to return to Dar-es-Salaam on Monday for another encounter with Tanzania’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

AKF Celebrates 25 years of the Madrasa Programme

20/8/2007

(MaximsNews.com, AK)

UNITED NATIONS – The Aga Khan Foundation last week marked the 25th anniversary of the Madrasa Early Childhood Development Programme in the presence of His Highness the Aga Khan, founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Chief Guest Kenya’s Minister for Science and Technology, Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa.

The Madrasa Programme was launched a quarter of a century ago at the request of East Africa’s Muslim leaders who wanted to improve the overall educational achievement of their children while at the same time promoting a secular, integrated curriculum based on the universal ethics and values of Islam and local cultural traditions.

The project has led to the establishment of quality, affordable and sustainable community-based early childhood development centres open to children of all faiths, cultures and ethnicities.

The programme has been developed in close collaboration with the governments in East Africa, and it provides valuable support in meeting national education goals.

The special event, “A Journey in Early Childhood Development,” was attended by government representatives from the region, leaders of the Ummah, pioneers of the Madrasa Programme, teachers, donors and well wishers.

It highlighted the considerable achievements of the Programme in increasing the ability of children from marginalised communities in East Africa to access and succeed in primary and later schooling.

This is achieved through fostering pre-school environments in children’s formative years that are stimulating and developmentally and culturally appropriate.

The involvement of parents and communities has been vital to the success and sustainability of the programme, through both their active participation in management and governance of their pre-schools.

The Madrasa curriculum adapts universal educational principles through the regional context through the use of distinctly local learning aids made from available materials and by close policy collaboration with the East African Ministries of Education.

Teacher training and continuous mentoring on classroom practice are ensured through the regionally established Madrasa Resource Centres (MRCs).

It is through the critical support provided by these MRCs in Mombasa, Kampala and Zanzibar that on-going development and successful implementation of the early childhood curriculum is guaranteed.

“The programme has ensured equal participation of girls and boys in the classroom and provided important employment and leadership opportunities to local women who work as pre-school teachers, trainers and community mobilisers,” says Najma Rashid, Regional Programme Director of the Madrasa Programme in East Africa.

Arif Neky, the Regional Chief Executive Officer of the Aga Khan Foundation in East Africa adds: “The programme has also been an important vector for pluralism in the region, as it has brought together parents, children and community members from different faiths and cultures in a common effort to improve education opportunities.”

The Madrasa Programme has benefited over 54,000 children in Mombasa, Kampala and Zanzibar and has trained over 5,000 teachers and 2,500 school committee members.

Research results indicate that students who have attended a madrasa make a better transition into and through primary school than their peers.

During the event, His Highness the Aga Khan launched a new publication, “School Improvement and Early Childhood Development in East Africa: Experiences of the Aga Khan Development Network.”

The book consolidates research, lessons and best practices of the Aga Khan Development Network’s education programmes for the benefit of both policymakers and practitioners.

MaximsNews

Aga Khan cheers Dar gains

DAILY NEWS Reporter
Daily News; Monday, August 20, 2007

THE spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan, has lauded the government for its commitment to human development agenda, demonstrated by investing heavily in education and health.

“Tanzania is indeed committed to bring about development to its people and this is shown by the country’s exemplary social and economic gains,” the Aga Khan said in Dar es Salaam on Saturday night.

The Aga Khan, who was on a three-day visit of Tanzania, was speaking at a State Banquet hosted in his honour by President Jakaya Kikwete.

He said education and health were sectors in which his various foundations were involved and the goal was to improve the welfare of people, especially in the third world.

The Aga Khan who is on a 12-day tour of East Africa as part of 50th anniversary since he became the Imam of Ismaili Muslims in July 1957, arrived in Tanzania on Thursday, from Kenya.

He pledged continued support to Tanzania in various sectors including health and education through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

The Aga Khan said a new university which would focus on science and technology programmes to be built in Arusha would cost 450 million US dollars (about 576bn/-).

“Construction will take 15 years and will be the foundation’s second biggest education project after the one in Pakistan,” he said.

President Kikwete expressed gratitude to the Aga Khan, for his contribution and support to welfare of many Tanzanians through provision of education and health services “There are many Tanzanians who are what they are today because of your generous contribution.

“They got their education from schools you built or through your sponsorship. And, thousands have had their ailments treated in hospitals you built,” said Mr Kikwete.

“These are the major programmes that require huge investment which we sometimes do not have.

“We still need more support from you and other strategic partners to enable us successfully carry out these important programmes for our people,” he said.

Daily News

Extensive Documentary: Pioneers of Freedom – Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan III

Three part video series in Urdu, on the life and achievements of Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan III. Produced and Directed by Waqar Ali Khan of Safeer-e-Pakistan, GeoTV. Towards the third part, the documentary dwells more on the history of Pakistan , but over all, the documentary is very well done.

Pioneers of Freedom Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan 1/3

Pioneers of Freedom Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan 2/3

Pioneers of Freedom Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan 3/3