SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

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DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY , SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 11
News
Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about
anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for
yourself —Henry James
Umar Bun Abdul Aziz Islamic
Institute gets boarding facility
FROM MUNTALLA INUSAH, AKIM ODA
muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh
AN ACCRA-BASED
Zongo Youth Association
has supported the
management of Umar
Bun Abdul (UBA) Aziz
Islamic Institute, a
basic school at Akim Oda in the Eastern
Region, to construct a boarding facility.
Their gesture forms part of the
association’s efforts geared towards encouraging
schooling in Muslim communities
and improving upon the
educational standards there.
The UBA facility provides both
secular and Arabic lessons and its
boarding facilities would be a landmark
in the history of basic Islamic
education in the region.
Addressing the gathering at the inauguration
of the facility, the Municipal
Chief Executive of Birim Central,
Mrs Victoria Adu, who was the Guest
speaker, commended the Association
for their tremendous effort in lending
support to the government in its bid
to transform education.
She said through education, future
leaders were groomed and therefore
urged the students not to joke but take
their lessons seriously.
Mission & vision
Sheikh Abdul Razak Mohammed
Umar, the Headmaster of the Institute,
said available facilities in the
school include dormitories, a computer
laboratory, a library, administrative
offices, a staff common room,
and a dining hall yet to be stocked with
the full complement of facilities to
create the enabling environment for
safety and comfort for students.
According to him, the mission of
the UBA was to enable Muslims to
adopt Islam as a way of life and to assist
and guide them to perform the obligations
the Holy Quran prescribed as
per the tradition of Holy Prophet Mohammed.
The vision of the UBA, he added,
is to establish and sustain a learning
environment, where students would be
inspired to greater heights with innovative
ideas.
The headmaster explained that the
Institute was initially established for
only Arabic studies, Qur’an recitation
and memorization; but it was decided
later to expand the scope of learning
to include secular education, and adult
education, upon his return home after
his graduation abroad in 2009, adding
that a teacher training facility would be
added.
Population
Currently, the school has 315 students
for Qur’anic recitation and
memorisation, 350 students for Islamic
studies, 87 students for the secular
education and 90 students for adult
education.
Sheikh Umar said there are many
students from the outskirts of Akim
Oda who wish to attend the Institute
but had no school bus to convey them
to and from school.
Zongo Devt fund offers support
Alhaji Zuberu Alidu, the Corporate
Affairs and Administrative Manager,
the Zongo Development Fund,
explained that the fund would support
the Institute with furniture and teaching
and learning materials.
The Fund, he said, would invest in
basic services and strategic infrastructure
in Zongo communities, support
business in Zongo communities as
well as provide social protection for
the poor and vulnerable children, men
and women there.
Alhaji Alidu expressed the hope
that the management would continue
to work tirelessly to develop the students
into future leaders.
He commended individuals and the
Association for their continuous support
to the government to improve the
living standards of people of the
Zongo communities across the country.
Values of Islam
Alhaji Abdul-Razak Adam, the Executive
Director, Finance and Strategy
at the Savannah Fruits Company, the
chairman for the occasion, said the effort
to provide Islamic education was
to instill in the children the values of
Islam for them to become responsible
individuals in future.
According to him, individuals can
take up the responsibility of providing
education to children in their communities
and that was exactly what the
Association seeks to do using religion
as an entry point to provide support to
these children.
Alhaji Adam said as part of the
bigger plan for the future, they intended
to acquire over 20-acre land to
use for a hospital, a senior high school
and a university based on Islamic values
and principles.
Alhaji Osman Abubakari, the
Chairman of the Zongo Youth Association,
said it was important to give
back to the community that has
trained and empowered them to grow
to become responsible adults.
He said education is key to community
development and urged the
parents to endeavour to educate their
children to the highest level.
“It is also to promote unity, brotherhood
and cooperation among Muslims
and non-Muslims,” he said
Alhaji Abdul also called on the
youth of the area to take advantage of
the Institute’s programmes to empower
themselves educationally.
.
•Mrs. Victoria Adu, MCE of Birim Central together with other dignatries
cutting the tape (Inset) Is the building