JEDDAH: Non-Saudi students at government schools whose iqamas expire during the academic year risk exclusion from classes until they are renewed, something that many expatriates say hinders their children’s education.

According to the Ministry of Education, expatriate children enrolled at government schools are required to show valid iqamas before the academic year begins. If someone’s iqama expires during the year, then most schools do not exclude students from classes while renewal procedures are carried out.

There are, however, some schools that insist on keeping students off classes until their iqamas are renewed. Low-income expatriate families are the ones who are the most affected as they struggle to raise funds to pay for renewal fees.

“Some families cannot afford to renew their iqamas on time,” said Eilaf Abu Laban, a Palestinian high school student who was excluded from school while her father’s iqama was being renewed.

“My family needs about two to three months to renew our iqamas. During this time, the school will not allow me to attend classes,” she said, adding that she suffers from this problem every year.

“Last year, when I was excluded, my friends helped me by copying notes for me. I wonder why we’re treated like this; we already have many difficulties, especially money problems. It’s not like we’re not suffering enough,” she added.

Samar Shaher, an Egyptian middle school student, was not accepted at a government school because her father’s iqama had expired. “Some principals treat expatriate students poorly. They usually let me know a month before my iqama expires. But they didn’t tell me this year and now I’m at home waiting for it to be renewed,” she said.

She added that when her mother visited her school to speak to someone about their financial problems, the principal refused to talk to her.

“Excluding students from classes until their iqamas are renewed is illegal. Students have the right to be given a two to three month grace period to renew their iqamas,” said Waleed Ibrahim, director of Al-Manarat School, Jeddah.

Ibrahim said the Ministry of Education gives students enough time to renew their iqamas. “The ministry tries its best not to negatively affect students. Students should not be held responsible for their families’ poor financial conditions,” he said.

Ahmad Al-Zahrani, director of an elementary school in Jeddah, confirmed that students who are kicked out from school can complain to the Ministry of Education and rejoin classes. “If the iqama ends during the academic year, then the student has the right to continue normally. The student has the right to get his or her certificate and the school should ask for the new iqama next year,” he said.

He added that if the iqama expires at the beginning of the new academic year, then the school has the right to refuse the student admission. No one at the Ministry of Education was available for comment.