JEDDAH, 3 June 2005 — The much expected election to the new managing committee of International Indian School-Jeddah (IISJ) may become a “mere formality or farce” in the face of a “very limited” number of applications for contesting seven seats.
This is how some community members have reacted to reports from IISJ and Consulate General of India sources that there have been just 11 applications for the committee election.
“This shows either the general apathy of the community toward the election process or total disinterest against the background of divisions in the control of the school and the ongoing issue of ownership of the IISJ boys’ section building,” a community member said.
In fact, parents say that officials at the consulate and IISJ are at the heart of the dilemma following a poor response to the process of election to its managing committee. So many of them wonder whether the election, due later this month, will be held at all, or whether it will be stage-managed to facilitate the “election” of the requisite seven members.
What gives credence to this contention is that two to three applications of the 11 that have been received for the election to the new body are likely to be rejected on various grounds. A select committee is due to scrutinize the applications tomorrow, and according to the sources, some applications “are sure to be rejected on grounds of eligibility.”
“This means that parents who are voters will have nothing to choose from except whatever is available,” another community member said. The sources expressed dismay at the lackadaisical and listless response of the Indian community.
India Forum President Shakil Sultan said the elected managing committees in the past have not been able to do anything concrete for the betterment of the school.
“The whole election process has turned into a futile exercise because the parents have no choice. All right-thinking Indians refuse to be a part of this controversial exercise. I’m against this election because it has divided the parents into various camps much to the detriment of this big institution,” he added.
“The consul general should step in and appoint a person of high caliber from among the Indian community to run the school affairs in a way that a school should be. Of course, this will require an assent from the Ministry of Education. But the ministry can be persuaded in the interests of the community at large. The election process has put the entire teaching community on edge,” said P.V. Bashir, a parent.
Another parent gave the detention of Dr. Yousuf Khan Jaweed, former IISJ managing committee chairman earlier this year, in the issue related to the ownership of boys’ section building, as one of the reasons for parents’ apathy.
“He was held in detention for no fault of his, except that he happened to be the chairman and the committee that he headed had inherited the problems from the previous committee. Shockingly, no community member came forward to extend support to him at that time,” he said.
Interestingly, the seven-member committee, with Jaweed as chairman, dwindled in strength to three members and had to be dissolved. A three-member ad-hoc committee was subsequently nominated to run the school affairs.