RIYADH, 9 June 2005 — “Don’t make the school a playground for politics,” Indian Ambassador M.O.H Farook said Tuesday at a function to celebrate the excellent CBSE results of Grade 10 and 12 achieved by the students of the International Indian School Riyadh (IISR).
The event was organized by the school to honor the teachers for their contributions to the results obtained by their students in the recent examinations. The party was attended by the 488 tutorial and administrative staff of the school. Neither the successful students nor their parents were present at the evening show to honor the teachers.
The ambassador told the parents to keep politics out of the school and appealed to them to work sincerely for the welfare of the students. He insisted that the school be free from corruption and be transparent in all its activities.
He regretted that the school is currently running at a loss and that SR 2 million has been withdrawn from the school’s reserve funds. “How can this happen when the school has a regular income?” he asked, pointing out that the school can scarcely run at a loss with 8,700 students enrolled. He said he would appoint a qualified accountant to examine the school’s books and financial transactions.
Last month, the Ministry of Education dissolved the school’ seven-member Managing Committee for alleged irregularities and lack of unanimity among its members. Currently, the school is run by a three-member adhoc committee headed by Principal M.J. Siddiqui who also acts as its director.
While congratulating the tutorial staff of the school for their efforts in producing good results, the ambassador said that there was a pressing need for a greater improvement in the educational standards of the institution since it is competing with new private schools that are opening in various parts of the Kingdom.
