Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — A Kerala-based Indian expatriate organization has alleged that there have been serious financial malpractices and corruption behind renting a new premise for the International Indian School-Jeddah. Addressing a recent press conference in Jeddah, the office bearers of the Jeddah Navadhara Forum urged the authorities to carry out probe into the corruption and nepotism behind this as well as into the violations with regard to the hiring of new teachers and renewing contract to the transporter. They said that the new campus has only the capacity to accommodate 1,300 students contrary to the earlier promise of the managing committee that around 4,000 students can be accommodated in the new building complex. "The SR5.1 million annual rent for the building is exorbitant and it is 10 times higher than the existing rent for the Girls' Section. It will be a huge burden on the IISJ and parents and thus paving the way for further hike in fees and taking money even from the reserve fund." The Navadhara officials alleged that the MC bypassed the academic expert panel while hiring new teachers. According to them, there were anomalies in the renewal of contract for private transportation of students. "The period of the transport contract would end only after the expiry of the term of the incumbent MC but there could be vested interests behind renewing the contract for another five year in a hurried way, violating all the norms," they said. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Nasar Aripra, secretary of Navadhara central committee, said that rent per student at the new premise is higher than that of many private international schools in the city. The press conference was also attended by Ghafour Chungathara, K.V. Nasar Anjilangadi, Praveen Kannur, Shaju Charummud, and Iqbal Kayamkulam
