RIYADH: The Sri Lankan International School in Riyadh has launched an investigation after a Saudi security guard at the institution caused a car accident as he took a number of senior students in his car for a joy ride during school hours.
The accident happened shortly after the students sat term examinations. According to one of the students in the car, the car crashed into another at a junction nearby a short while after leaving the school.
“His car was badly damaged and the student who sat in the front seat sustained head injuries when he hit the windscreen,” he said, adding that the students were from the commerce class and that their next exam is today.
School Principal M.E.M. Farook confirmed that the incident took place during school hours. “During the examination period, students who finish their papers early and wait for their parents to pick them up. The incident happened during that period,” Farook said.
The students finished their papers at 10.30 p.m. on that day.
M.K.M. Ashraff, chairman of the school board, said locals are hired by the school to comply with the Kingdom’s Saudization program. “The Saudi youth was sent by a security firm contracted to deploy security officers at the school,” Ashraff said, adding that the school has informed the company of the incident and requested a responsible replacement.
Arab News learned that the guard was expected to work as a traffic warden during the school’s daily opening and closing times.
