RIYADH, 8 September 2006 — The boards of management of community schools whose tenure has either expired or that are functioning on a temporary basis will have to be re-constituted in the coming weeks when they reopen after the summer holidays, a senior official from the ministry told Arab News. In its new charter, the Education Ministry stipulates that community schools be managed by their respective diplomatic missions through their nominees or by parents elected to these boards under the direct supervision of the ministry and their respective embassies or consulates.
The changes are an attempt to standardize the way the boards of expatriate community schools are created. “Regularizing the composition of the board of management is to ensure the smooth functioning of these institutions,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The Bangladesh International School (English Section) in Riyadh is preparing for the elections during the course of this month.
“I have already instructed the school to call for nominations from interested parents according to the regulations of the ministry,” Bangladesh Ambassador Retired Maj. Gen. S.M. Ikramul Haque told Arab News, pointing out that the term of office of the existing members of the board of management had already expired in June this year. “We could not have the elections immediately because the term of the previous board ended during the summer break. Now the parents have come back.”
Bishwadip Dey, an information secretary at the Indian Embassy, said: “We have not still decided to choose which option (appointing by the embassy or electing by the parents) since the mission had sought some clarifications from the ministry on certain matters regarding the composition of the board of management,” he said.
Dey, who also acts as an embassy observer at the Indian Embassy International School in Riyadh, said the new board of management would be formed as soon after the mission gets the requested clarification from the ministry. The Indian school in Riyadh, which has more than 9,000 students in its boys and girls sections, is being run by an ad hoc committee following the dissolution of the elected committee. There are nine Indian International Schools spread throughout the Kingdom.
The two Pakistani schools in Riyadh have nominated members to the board of management.
“We are preparing the list of nominees for the two schools in Nasseriyah and Sulaimaniyah Districts,” Manzar Hafiz Miah, spokesman of the Pakistan Embassy said, adding that each school will have five members to its new board of management. Pakistan Ambassador Retired Adm. Shahid Karimullah, said he is keen on reorganizing his community schools for the betterment of his people in the Kingdom.
“We have not got any official instruction about the new rule from the ministry of education,” Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq said. The Sri Lankan International Schools in Riyadh and Jeddah have around 800 students.
