JEDDAH, 8 September 2004 — The Indian community is seriously examining the prospects of opening a school in Makkah.
This follows the demand from parents based in and around the holy city for a school after an accident to a bus of the Indian International School, Jeddah, on its way from Makkah to Jeddah on May 10 that proved fatal for seven children and a teacher.
The proposal for a school in Makkah figured during the discussion between outgoing Ambassador Kamaluddin Ahmed and reporters on the sidelines of a community farewell reception hosted in his honor at the Consulate General of India on Monday.
“Yes, there is a proposal to establish a school in Makkah, but it has to be outside the limits of the holy city as per the regulation, and one of the locations being considered is near the Shumesi checkpoint,” Ahmed said.
The ambassador, who is returning to India after a 14-month term, said the proposal is being discussed with Hussain Sharif, a local sponsor, and a positive response is expected.
Right now, there are at least 200 children coming from Makkah to study at the IISJ who are being daily transported by school buses. “There exists a demand from parents of 500 children for opening a school around the holy city and the demand could go up to 1,000,” said the ambassador.
Ahmed said there was also a proposal to set up an open school on the pattern of Indira Gandhi National Open University. Such a school would enable children based in Makkah to write India’s CBSE exams without attending school regularly.
“Giving good education to your children and improving its quality should be your highest priority,” he said and referred to the attitudinal differences between the NRIs of the West and Gulf. “While NRIs in Europe or America tend to spend and invest their earnings in the places of their stay with the intention of becoming citizens, those based in the Gulf, in the Kingdom in particular, do not do that as they have to return home someday,” he said.
Ahmed said being a political appointee, he had to go with the change of federal government in New Delhi. “But I’ll continue to be active in my own way back home,” he said.
“My successor is also a person from public life,” he said. His successor M.O.H. Farooq, who is expected to arrive in the last week of September, was twice chief minister of Pondicherry.
Consul General Ausaf Sayeed said the India-GCC conference held in India recently was the brainchild of the ambassador. The framework agreement signed between India and the GCC states would result in free trade and thus boost bilateral economic ties. Sayeed recalled that the ambassador played a major role in lifting the Kingdom’s ban on import of India meat in the recent past.
The ambassador was also credited with the implementation of a 24-hour helpline in Riyadh and an open house at the consulate in Jeddah.
Farewell speeches were delivered by Ashok Kumar, Western Province manager of Air-India, prominent community representatives Sharief Aslam, a poet and writer, Syed Sharique Ali, (member India Forum managing committee), C.P. Saleem, O.P.R. Kutty, P. Kunhi Mohammed, Jamalullah Qadri, Farzan Rizvi, V.K. Abdu Rouf and Sultan Mazaharuddin. Siadat Ali Khan conducted the proceedings.
