The education waqf
Holding an asset so that its benefit may be used while the asset itself remains, dedicated to a lawful purpose.
The purpose of establishing an education waqf lies in the desire, or the need, to raise community services toward excellence. It also creates opportunities for institutions and individuals to share social responsibility and to direct lawful spending in ways that serve the needs of society.
The education waqf in the Islamic state
The idea of endowing education in the Islamic state emerged to secure a share of wealth allowing educational institutions to preserve their independence, without having to turn to parties that could influence their positions and policies. The core aim of the education waqf is that educational funding should not depend on state resources, which vary over time and from one person to another. Endowments appeared in Islamic history during the reign of the Abbasid caliph Al-Ma'mun, though the system of endowments for schools only developed with the founding of madrasas in the fifth Hijri century.
- Endowments for schools
- Endowments for libraries
- Endowments for institutes
Educational endowments in the West
In the West, cash donations are the foundation for funding educational institutions and universities, many of which began as endowments — such as Harvard University, which receives donations and endowment income worth billions of dollars. Educational endowments are the primary enabler of excellence in many Western universities: financial abundance allows them to develop teaching, improve teachers' salaries, expand libraries, and carry out studies and research, alongside many other activities.
Credibility
The reputation of these institutions inspires trust and reassurance among donors.
Ambition
Donors can direct their support according to their wishes, such as funding research or supporting students in need.
Relationship
Donors often prefer to direct their giving to institutions they are connected with.
The (X) factor
Donors wish to associate their names with reputable institutions.
Universities seeking support
Educational institutions actively approach major capital holders to secure donations.
Steps of work
Community awareness
Highlighting the role of endowments in improving education and achieving the Ministry of Education's strategic goals, and building public awareness of their importance.
Facilitation and organisation
Making it easier and more organised for donors to establish an endowment through:
- — Establishing a dedicated administration for educational endowments to oversee them and explore investment options.
- — Organising the endowment administratively and financially.
- — Managing the endowment's relationship with educational institutions and existing regulations.
- — Creating simple mechanisms for making an endowment or donation.
Regulatory aspects
Studying and mapping educational needs and the projects that endowment funds can cover, ranking them by clear priorities and controls, and exploring new forms of endowment such as digital programmes and websites, dedicated services, or educational activities and programmes.
Why Education Waqf was established
The move toward the endowment idea crystallises the principle of self-reliance, one of the points raised in His Majesty the King's seventh discussion paper. A gap emerged between the Ministry of Education's requirements for schools and the resources available in the coming years, in light of the economic challenges Jordan faces. The importance of this direction lies in creating a sustainable economic supporter of education whose core purpose is improving the quality of learning.
Join us in building the future
Every contribution becomes a classroom, a laboratory, and a seat for a student who is waiting.