Similar to the Sheikh Hamdan Senior Secondary School in the Gambia, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Secondary School in Bignona, Senegal was sponsored by His Highness, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid (May Allah have mercy on him). The building project was implemented by Munazamat Al Dawa Al Islamia, who laid the foundation stone in 1998. There were several reasons responsible for the establishment of the school in Bignona.
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Secondary School Bingona in Senegal was the first educational Institution established in Africa by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid (May Allah have mercy on him). The school is located in Bignona—the second largest city in the Casamance region after Ziguinchor which was chosen as its headquarters.
Initially, the school started to function as a Private Arabic / French School, which continued as such for about a period of four (4) years. However, the admission rate of students was very low as a result of students’ quest for admission into schools implementing the Senegal Schools curriculum. Consequently, the school curriculum was changed and the Senegalese education curriculum was adapted. This eventually boosts the enrolment of the school.
One of the major factors that influenced the building of the school was to help strengthen the teaching of the Islamic fate in the region as the rate at which Christianity was propagated and spreading was a cause for concern for the people of Bignona. Being fully interested in supporting the consolidation of Islamic values, the foundation through the main sponsor—Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid (May Allah have mercy on him), deemed it necessary to build the school.
Moreover, the quest for teaching Islamic/Arabic Education was also a dire need for the indigenes of the regions. So, it was deemed necessary to provide Islamic education and Arabic knowledge to the people of this region. Thus, the school was built as a result.
The dire need for education by residents of the region was a very influential factor that prompted the building of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid at Bignona. The people in this region deserve basic education and the building of this school helps to facilitate that need.