Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has acknowledged the important role Adams College has played in the history of the country and called for it to be reaffirmed as a centre of excellence.
Speaking at the Adams College Legacy Dinner at the Durban City Hall on Saturday, Zuma noted that the school not only produced some of the "most outstanding leaders of the ANC and the country", but also provided the children of new African converts with the opportunity to gain a good standard of education.
Some ANC leaders also served as teachers at the school, among them Albert Luthuli, who was the first African member of staff, while Professor Z.K. Matthews became the first African principal.
Adams College also produced African leaders such as Sir Seretse Khama, the first democratically elected president of Botswana, and Joshua Nkomo, founder of the Zimbabwean liberation movement ZAPU.
Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is also a former student of the school.
Zuma said despite the school's rich history, like many other mission schools it did not escape the devastating impact of apartheid.
"The architects of apartheid resented schools such as Adams College which sought to empower African children. For them teaching mathematics and science to African children was not acceptable," he added.
While other educational institutions fell by the wayside, Adams College stood the test of time and provided a Christian education to Africans even under unfavourable circumstances.
"Through its resilience, it made a lifelong contribution to education during the darkest times that our country was once subjected to. That resilience is the reason why we are meeting here to celebrate that legacy."
He said the school should continue to be an incubator that produces outstanding leaders.
Adams College was in a "good space" because it was where the Historic School Restoration Project was launched in 2007. One of the goals of the project is restore historic schools to stimulate a renewed pride in South Africa's cultural, literary, musical and educational heritage.
The intention is to reposition these schools as premier educational, technical, sports, arts, culture and leadership institutions in South Africa and in the continent.
The first part of the project involves restoring the physical infrastructure of the schools.
Zuma said this phase addresses needs such as adequate water and sewerage infrastructure, the necessary classrooms, laboratories, libraries, restoration or provision of boarding facilities and staff housing.
The second part involves restoring the quality of the educational and cultural content offered at the schools.
"That must include the quality of teachers which must speak to the quality of teaching. If there is quality teaching, there will be quality learning and the results will show," he said.
Zuma thanked Adams College Board of Trustees for their efforts in leading the Historic Schools Restoration Project and urged former students and friends of the school to join government and the project to revive rich heritage of excellence.
He called for the heritage of Adams College to be nurtured and for the school to be reaffirmed as a centre of excellence.
