Cape Town - The Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) is expanding its footprint in South Africa by opening a second International Maarif School (IMS).
The foundation, with its headquarters in Istanbul, is a public, non-profit organisation established in 2016 by the Parliament of Türkiye, for the purpose of using Turkish public funds to establish educational institutions in countries outside of Türkiye.
Maarif (meaning education) Foundation South Africa is a non-profit company and a division of TMF, servicing the SADC region.
Since its inception in 2016, there have been 465 schools and universities opened in 51 countries, with almost 50 000 students, according to the TMF.
Maarif Foundation South Africa director Deniz Dogan said the school had been registered with the Western Cape Education Department. The high school is scheduled to open in January 2024 with a capacity to enrol 400 pupils (24 per class).
“The STREAM paradigm informs the curriculum of the school. In addition to the much touted STEM, the school is committed to research and the arts. In addition to the mandatory CAPS curriculum, the school will offer Coding and Robotics in grades 8 and 9.
“There are three streams as options in the FET Phase – subjects leading to university studies in Health Sciences, Commerce and Computer Sciences. Tourism is an option and, with increased enrolment, the intention is to offer Hospitality Studies and Marine Sciences.”
The first IMS school in South Africa opened in Johannesburg in 2021 with IMS Cape Town, in Claremont, being the second addition.
“There are on-site facilities for netball, basketball and table tennis in addition to public speaking, drama and chess. The plan is to offer cricket, soccer and rugby as enrolment increases through partnerships with nearby community organisations which have facilities for those sports,” Dogan said.
The co-education school will be offering grades 8 to 10 initially and grades 11 and 12 to be introduced incrementally in 2025 and 2026.
“The Turkish language will be offered as an after-hours optional subject to foster integration of cultures and also for the benefit of learners who wish to pursue their tertiary education in Türkiye, bearing in mind that scholarships are available to alumni of International Maarif Schools with terms and conditions applicable.”
There are plans to establish a Centre for Turkish studies at the University of Pretoria, Dogan said.
Turkish Consul-Ceneral Sinan Yesildag said: “I am proud to announce that after 160 years since Ebubekir Effendi founded the first Turkish school in Cape Town, a new one is being inaugurated by the Turkish Maarif Foundation. The Maarif education system is renowned for its commitment to a modern and inclusive education that embraces universal values.”
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