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17 historic centres to be restored to former glory

A project aimed at revitalising historic schools was launched at Adams College in Amanzimtoti, Durban, at the weekend.

A project aimed at revitalising historic schools was launched at Adams College in Amanzimtoti, Durban, at the weekend.

The Historic Schools' Restoration Project is a partnership between the Department of Arts and Culture, churches and nongovernmental organisations.

The historic significance of these schools could not be underestimated, Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane said at the launch.

Many of yesterday's and today's leaders were nurtured behind their walls.

"We desire our schools to be centres, not only of educational, but of cultural excellence. As we look to the future, we know that South Africa will always be a multiracial, multicultural and multilingual nation".

"Inkosi Albert Luthuli, a son of Adams College, as a pupil and a teacher, went on to become secretary and later president of the African Teachers' Association, president of the ANC and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize," said Ndungane.

Another famous Adams alumnus was John Dube, the first president of the ANC, who went on to found Ohlange High School, one of the pilot schools for the project.

"Our vision is to produce value-based, transformational, Afro-centric leaders, who are able to meet the critical demands of community and country.

"And our mission is to recapture the heritage of our historic schools and transform them into sustainable, aspirational African institutions of educational and cultural excellence," the archbishop said

He said President Thabo Mbeki, Chris Hani, and even himself were products of Lovedale, another of the 17 schools already identified for the project.

" We shall also be including others, such as Morris Isaacson in Soweto and Livingstone High School in Cape Town, which were at the forefront of the struggle," he said

The project was initiated by Arts and Culture Minister, Pallo Jordan who was unable to attend the launch due to flight delays at Cape Town International Airport. - Sapa

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