(JollofNews) – The Governor of the Lower River Rigion of the Gambia, Salifu Puye, Monday laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new Islamic school in Jarra Soma.
Madrasatul Quran Kareem Institute which was formally based in Koidu Town, Kono District, Sierra Leone and founded by a renowned Gambian scholar, late Alhaji Mohammed Hardy Camara is being funded by the ex-students of the school.
Like many Gambians, the late Alhaji Muhammed Hardy Camara immigrated to Sierra Leone in the late 1960s in search of greener pasture in the diamond trade but later decided to build a school in 1970.
But like many other learning institutions, the school was destroyed in 1992 during the brutal Sierra Leonean civil war.
Laying the foundation stone, Governor Puye said: “Under the administration of the APRC regime, education is the main priority of our president and we
shall support any genuine effort to eradicate illiteracy in our communities.
“The construction of the new school is a clear testimony of the fact that its founder has died but his spirit still lives in our midst.”
Governor Puye thanked the ex-students for their efforts in rekindling their alma mater in honour of their late principal.
Speaking earlier, the president of Madrasatul Quran Kareem Project, Jonkunda Susso, thanked the chief and people of Jarra Soma for giving them the opportunity to construct the madrasa in their community.
He said the new school which will have a state of the art library, office complex, waiting room and a multi-purpose centre is in fulfilment of the wish of their late principal who had intended to put up the structure himself.
He added that the school would offer a wide range of courses including English language and Arabic.
Mr Susso appealed to NGOs, individual organisations and the government to support his association to accomplish the project.
Anyone willing to help in the construction of the new Madrasatul Quran Kareem Project can contact the association’s vice president, Imam Ebrima Saho, on 7929966/ 9909966.
