February 01, 2024
Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) opened the Cape Town International Maarif School in Cape Town, South Africa with a ceremony. The school has a capacity of 400 students and will provide education at high school level.
TMF President Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün, Turkish Ambassador to Pretoria Ayşegül Kandaş, TMF Board Member Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özkan, Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of Social Development of the Republic of South Africa, Daylin Mitchell, Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Yüksel Timur Demir, Chairman of the Middle East, Gulf and Africa Committee of the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK), Muslim opinion leaders in the city, business people, Cape Town Municipality and Western Cape Provincial Department of Education officials, representatives of institutions and organizations in the country, students and their families attended the ceremony.
TMF President Akgün stated that they are happy to open a new school in Cape Town after Johannesburg and said, "We opened our first school in South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018. In January 2023, we established the Maarif Türkiye Studies Center at the University of Pretoria, one of the leading universities of the world and the continent, and increased our educational cooperation to the level of higher education."
Noting that the school opened in Cape Town is a center of culture, tourism and knowledge, Akgün said that TMF serves 52 thousand students in different geographies of the world with more than 450 schools in 52 countries.
Akgün said, "I would like to extend my special thanks to the President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and all other South African authorities who have always supported us in opening these schools."
Pretoria Ambassador Kandaş referred to the success of TMF schools around the world and emphasized the importance of the opening of the second school in the Republic of South Africa in Cape Town.
Mr. Mitchell, Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Assembly, stated that a new one has been added to the special ties established with Türkiye.
Kubeshni Govender, Director General of Private Schools at the Western Cape Department of Education, said that the Maarif School would bring new excitement to the city and that they welcomed this initiative with joy and satisfaction.
"Raising moral and compassionate people should be among the main goals of education"
Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of İlim Yayma Foundation, expressed his happiness to witness this important moment in Cape Town.
Stating that Maarif Schools bring a new perspective to the education community and have an understanding of education that prioritizes the construction of a just and good world, Erdoğan wished the school in Cape Town to be instrumental in new achievements.
Bilal Erdoğan said, "One of the main goals of education should be to raise moral, conscientious and compassionate people. This should start at the earliest period. Maarif Schools are a part of this mission."
With a capacity of 400 students, the school, which will provide education at high school level, will start operating this year.
