RIYADH, 7 March 2004 — Parents are up in arms over an unannounced change in textbooks at the International Indian School Riyadh (IISR) and say the school is overcharging them for the new books.
The school allegedly charges 30 percent more than ordinary bookstores.
Sources say the school did not communicate the decision to the higher board set up by the directorate general of international schools in the Ministry of Education.
Last year, the managing committee agreed to provide the textbooks free of charge, but admitted that beginning this academic year this would be impossible because of delivery problems from India.
The circular, dated June 24, 2003, included a list of textbooks suggesting parents buy them during their vacation in India if they want to avoid paying a premium.
Those who acted on the circular were in for a shock as some of the textbooks they bought have now been changed. “I brought more than 2,000 rupees worth of textbooks for my children, for which I had to pay excess baggage as well. And all in vain,” a parent told Arab News.
He said there were also doubts about the managing committee, two of whose members have allegedly been sidelined. “There is confusion about the MC and nobody knows who is doing what,” he said.
The school has signed a contract with a private firm to import textbooks from India, at a 30 percent markup at least.
But IISR Chairman Niaz Ahmed Khan told Arab News that those who had brought textbooks from India could replace them with the new prescribed books free of charge.
He added the books were still cheaper than those sold in the Eastern Province. “IISD parents are coming to Riyadh to buy textbooks,” he said.
