Durban - The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) School of Education will officially open three of their new buildings on the Edgewood campus in Pinetown on Saturday that will be named after South African Struggle icons.
The state-of-the-art facilities are proudly will be named after Struggle icons and educators, Ellen Kuzwayo, Phyllis Naidoo and Dulcie September.
Dean and Head of the School of Education, Professor Thabo Msibi said: "UKZN aims to be the premier university of African scholarship, offering quality, decolonised education to graduates on the national and international stage. In order to enable this, the university was privileged to receive infrastructure funding from the Department of Higher Education and Training to build a new teaching and learning facility at the Edgewood Campus".
The new facility, which is now complete, boasts three lecture theatres, staff offices and a commercial space.
Along with the launching of the Ellen Kuzwayo Building, the university will also be naming the largest lecture theatre in the building after Phyllis Naidoo.
A third building which has been reconfigured into a conference centre will be named after Dulcie September.
According to Msibi, the naming and inauguration of the three spaces culminate a three-year project around the decolonisation of UKZN spaces, and marks a ‘rebirth’ for the Edgewood campus.
He said, "The campus has transformed into a vibrant space, housing staff and students of diverse backgrounds. However, the naming of its buildings, including its spatial configuration, still largely reflects its founding history."
The launch marks an important political and academic milestone for UKZN.
The three spaces have been named after black women who were struggle icons and educators.
"This is to recognise the powerful role that black women educators played in the liberation of our country and also to address the lack of black people in the naming of the existing buildings at the campus," Msibi said.
At the buildings launch, six canvas paintings created by education students, will also be housed in the facilities.
The students were encouraged to be a part of the ‘Make Your Mark in Paint’ initiative, curated by academics Dr Antoinette D’amant and Professor Daisy Pillay.
Large canvases were set up outside the students’ exam venue. As they came out from writing their exams, they were invited to make their mark on the canvases using paintbrushes and a variety of bright acrylic paints. Many of the students even used objects, jewellery and pictures as a source for their inspiration.
"We were so amazed at the positive and enthusiastic response from the students. Some had never so much as held a paintbrush let alone painted on a canvas that was meant as an artwork! About 4 000 students contributed to the artworks. It was a wonderful experience."D'amant said.