A committee has investigated the fire accident that ravaged the private school in Jeddah nearly two months ago.
The fire caused severe damage to the school building that it required complete renovation and maintenance works before resuming classes. The actual loss caused to the school is yet to be estimated, said the source.
Three teachers — Souzan Al-Khaledi, Reem Al-Nahari and Ghadeer Katoua — died and 56 others, majority of them students, were injured when the massive fire ravaged the school on Nov. 19, 2011.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal visited the school soon after the accident and ordered to set up a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.
The committee, comprising representatives of various government agencies, has come to the conclusion that the fire was caused by five students. It was revealed that the girls ignited the fire in the underground floor of the school while playing with a coal holder. They ran away from the scene and returned to their classrooms when the blaze picked up.
The source said that Arwah Aal Al-Asheikh, the school owner, has not planned to seek compensation for the damages to the school.
The building would be renovated to facilitate reopening at the beginning of next academic year. “The school management started negotiations with a number of engineering consultancy firms to evaluate the damage, prior to awarding the project for renovation and reconstruction works to a leading contractor. It is expected that the school would be refurbished within six months,” the source said.
According to the source, the renovation works would be carried out strictly in line with the safety regulations issued by the Ministry of Education.
“The works would enable a highly comfortable education and a family atmosphere for students at the school. New annex buildings would be built, in addition to equipping the existing ones with all the safety means,” he said.
Students from the school are currently attending classes at nearby private and government schools.
The school management, in cooperation with local authorities, conducted a massive counseling program aimed at helping students and teachers to heal the traumatic impact of the disaster.
Al-Asheikh earlier disclosed that her first and foremost concern was to enable the students to continue their studies normally.
“We have formed a specialist team, comprising educational counselors, psychologists and academics, to reduce the mental and emotional impact and infuse students and teachers with confidence and new spirit. We have been continuously in touch with the students and their parents to reassure their condition and help them overcome the traumatic stress,” she added.
A team of counselors from the Jeddah Guidance Department and other organizations also provided counseling for students and their parents. Dr. Sami Badawood, director of the Health Affairs in Jeddah, said earlier that he had assigned a team of social workers and counselors to treat students and teachers affected by the disaster.
