JEDDAH: Nearly 150 boys and girls, mostly International Indian School students attending a personality development program here, called on Indian Consul General Sayeed Ahmed Baba to take immediate steps to tackle overcrowding in classrooms at the school.
Students took up the issue when the consul general asked them what question they would like to raise first when their parents meet him. “Over population in classrooms,” they said. Ahmed Baba said school authorities have been making efforts to rent new buildings to accommodate lower class students and reduce strength in higher classrooms.
Mamoon Al-Azami, community development specialist at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), inaugurated the program that was held at the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) auditorium and organized by Teens Circle and Thanima Sargavedi. Al-Azami urged students to understand the value of time and use it carefully for their own development and to serve others.
During his interaction with students, Ahmed Baba was also asked why the Indian mission was not trying to establish colleges in the Kingdom that would help Indian students pursue higher studies. Ahmed Baba promised that he would take up this important issue. In the meantime, he urged Indians to make use of the academic programs offered by IGNOU.
The consul general said globalization has not only brought opportunities but also challenges. “If you are well-qualified and talented, you will be able to get jobs anywhere in the world. But you have to face the competition by gaining high academic qualification and professional skills,” he pointed out. He praised Thanima Sargavedi and other Indian NGOs for their community services, especially in alleviating the difficulties of Indian expatriate workers.
Abdul Aziz Aripra, general secretary of Indian School Parents Forum, gave an informative presentation on time management while Fasal Cochin, coordinator of Teens Circle, spoke on smart goals, and Afros Aziz on the role of teenagers in society. The program concluded with an inspiring speech by Jamal Alwaye, chief patron of Teens Circle. Participants were happy over having gotten an opportunity to take part in such a program and said they had learned a lot from it.
Program coordinator Siraj welcomed the guests.