Orient Islamic School

Private school in Durban, Kwa-ZuluNatal, South Africa

White, Navy Blue and GoldWebsitewww.orientschool.co.za

Orient Islamic School is an independent Muslim school situated in Greyville, Durban, South Africa.

Orient School is part of the Orient Islamic Educational Institute that was established in 1938. The school was established in 1959 as a state-aided school. In 1998, the school became an independent school.

The school currently offers the matriculation through the National Senior Certificate. It caters for learners from Grade RR-12

In addition to meeting the community's requirements for both secular and religious education since 1959, Orient's history has always been intertwined with South Africa's past. More than sixty Huffaz have graduated from the school; a few of them have gone on to become religious leaders. Actuarial science, architecture, aviation, biokinetics, business, chartered accountancy, chemical engineering, civil engineering, education psychology, electrical engineering, engineering geology, environmental consulting, graphic design, leading, law, mechanical engineering, microbiology, quantity surveying, satellite engineering, and software engineering are just a few of the careers and professions that alumni have followed.

History

In 1940, members of the Orient Club in Isipingo came up with the idea to start the school. It took over two decades for the School to reopen. The overt bigotry that was common at the time made it extremely difficult for the project's founders to get off the ground. It took almost fifteen years to secure the current school location. Originally, a few hundred meters from the current location, directly below the Botanic Gardens, three acres of land were purchased; however, due to anti-Indian sentiment, this land had to be given up. Then, in the Bluff, 80 acres of property were bought. Racial unrest once more forced the project's abandonment just before the Bluff land's foundation stone was set. The 80 acres of land on the Bluff were eventually exchanged for the 3 acres on which the School is currently located after then Prime Minister General Smuts had to step in. The Institute didn't actually take ownership of the current location until 1955. A I Kajee, a prominent member of the community and a visionary, was one of the main forces behind all these initiatives.Before the Schools Act of 1996, the school operated as a state-aided institution. After that, the state attempted to wrest the school from the community. The Durban High Court's ruling that the School belonged to the community and could register as an independent institution forced the Institute to file an appeal.

From the beginning, the School Hall fulfilled the needs of the students as well as providing a location for weddings and other events at a period when the neighbourhood lacked amenities.The section of the School Hall facing the driveway from the columns was part of a lawn area in the 1960s when the School was compelled to fly the Nationalist Apartheid Government's flag per government orders. The students resisted this, sitting down on their haunches whenever the flag was raised, only to be attacked by Security Police officers brandishing their German Shepherd dogs . Prior to the founding of the Inkatha Freedom Party in 1975, Prince Buthelezi gave a speech to the community in a fully packed hall—an extraordinary move at the time. Professor Ismail aL Faruqi of Temple University, a world-renowned expert on Imam Al Ghazzali, visited South Africa multiple times and gave lectures at the school hall on the author each time. The Natal Indian Congress members and other community leaders who opposed the Tricameral Parliament, including Ela Gandhi, were imprisoned in the beginning of the 1980s. After being freed, they went straight to the Hall to back that resistance at a standing-room-only demonstration. The nation was still divided based on race when President Mandela was released from jail. Because Ndaba Mandela lacked prejudice, Nelson Mandela reached out to Fatima Meer, who then got in touch with Ismail Kathrada of the A M Moolla Family. Ndaba attended Orient for the 1990–1991 academic year before moving to Gauteng. Dr. Albertinah Luthuli, granddaughter of Chief Albert Luthuli, the African National Congress President just prior to Oliver Tambo's leadership, and Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Senator Robert Kennedy, attended a colloquium held by the School in 2016. This colloquium was organised to honour Senator Robert Kennedy's 1966 visit, which was prohibited at the time, to Chief Albert Luthuli in defiance of the Nationalist Apartheid Government.

Subjects offered at Orient

Orient Islamic offers the following NSC subjects:

English Home Language
Afrikaans First Additional Language
Arabic Second Additional Language
Mathematics
Mathematical Literacy
Physical Sciences
Business Studies
Economics
Life Sciences
Accounting
Engineering, Graphics & Design
Geography
Life Orientation
Computer Applications Technology ( CAT )
Information Technology

Islamic curriculum

In addition to the National Curriculum the following studies are integrated into the Orient curriculum and have been approved by the Jamiatul Ulama KZN :

Islamic Studies: Fiqh
Islamic History
Tafseer/Duroosul Quraan
Islamic Studies - Aqaaid
Islamic Practicals - Salaah Wudhu
Islamic Studies - Quraan Surahs and Duas
Arabic
Hifz – Memorization of the Qur'an (Optional)

Sports

Orient has a very successful record in the sporting arena Some notable recent achievments include:

Winners of the Association of Muslim Schools Boys Provincial Tournament - Under 17 led by Yusuf Shaik and the Under 19 divison led by Luqmaan Moola
Winners of the Westville Girls Volleyball league - Under 16 Team
Participated in the Midmar Mile

Achievements

100% accreditation with UMALUSI (National Monitoring Body for Independent Schools)
Voted among the top muslim independent schools in South Africa
100% exemption matric pass rate over the past years with notable figures including Talha Dada and Owais Shaik both who were placed in the Top 5 in Kwazulu Natal two distinctions per student)
Huffaz graduates