Zuckerberg will open a 'different kind' of school with wife Priscilla

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan will open a K-1 school in East Paolo Alto, California. The private and non-profit institution named “The Primary School” will be inaugurated in August 2016.

Funded by the Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan Donor Advised Fund, the school will be tuition-free to help and support students belonging to lower income groups. Attendance at the school will be free for low-income students from East Palo Alto, Belle Haven and other surrounding communities.

In a post on his Facebook page, Zuckerberg opined that health and education are closely related. Many kids across the U.S. have to deal with the “consequences of poor health".

“The Primary School will also provide prenatal support for families and on-site healthcare for children. By bringing healthcare and education together in one place, the goal is to support families and help children from underserved communities reach their full potential,” said Zuckerberg.

The school will offer an integrated health and education model with healthcare for children and their families. Chan is a pediatrician and over the past year has been working with the underprivileged community through the transition to high school.

This venture stems from Chan’s enthusiasm to reach out to poor children. The holistic approach will help these under-nourished children to realise their true potential.

Zuckerberg feels bringing healthcare and education together will help children from “undeserved” communities attain new goals. A report in Business Insider states that The Primary School will be able to cater to 700 students and their families.

Zuckerberg also previously supported schools for the underprivileged. In May 2014, Zuckerberg and Chan donated US$120 million to help needy schools support undeserved communities in the Bay Area. In February 2015, the couple reached out to San Francisco General Hospital Foundation and donated US$75 million to improve services.

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