DURBAN - When the former principal of New West Secondary School received a national award, he was given a R160000 prize to donate to a historically-disadvantaged school of his choice in a rural area.
Now Farouk Bayat has handed over the Vodacom Foundation-sponsored fully equipped information and communications technology centre to the Sinevuso Secondary School in Cibini, Ixopo.
Bayat had received the gift as a result of winning the OR Tambo Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual National Teaching Awards in Midrand in March.
The awards show appreciation to teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty to make the future of South Africa a brighter place.
Now retired, Bayat taught for 43 years.
The ICT lab has now provided the Sinevuso Secondary School with a 30-tablet trolley solution, IT equipment, an e-beam interactive device, a whiteboard and e-books with learning material content.
The Vodacom e-school portal offers free internet access to education content for pupils across the country.
Bayat said he decided to donate the ICT lab to the school as it did not have access to advanced learning material.
Shabir Chohan, the chief executive of the Al Baraka Bank, which supports the school, also attended the handover ceremony.
The bank launched its “Project 25” initiative in 2014, when it marked its 25th business anniversary, and the company then pledged ongoing, three-year support for 25 Grade 10 pupils at the school, providing them with holistic preparation for post-matric studies or employment.
Involving bank staff and the school principal, it covers additional maths and science tuition, life skills and IT training, as well as motivational interventions to boost pupils’ confidence.
The programme also includes career choice discussions and aptitude testing.
Bayat is now working for the bank as a consultant overseeing the Project 25 legacy programme.