Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Amid increasing demand from the Indian community to accommodate more students, International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ) authorities are seriously considering introducing a shift system in the school. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Khursheed Akhtar, chairman of the school's Managing Committee, said that procedures are under way to introduce shift system for kindergarten section from the next academic year, which is round the corner. “We have written formally to the Ministry of Education seeking permission to introduce shifts. After receiving sanction from the ministry, we will go ahead and introduce it,” he said, adding that a decision in this regard will be taken later this month. Akhtar noted that the school authorities are not in position to accommodate as many as 900 children who applied for admission to the KG section because of space constraints and shortage of manpower. Prior to the steps to introduce shifts, the school authorities have invited applications from qualified female teachers for vacancies in KG section. The screening test will be conducted Thursday after receiving applications until Tuesday. “We need at least 40 teachers to introduce shifts in kindergarten, in addition to 40 classrooms. We have also asked the outsourced contracting company to increase the number of buses to transport students,” he said. Akhtar also did not rule out the possibility for introducing shifts in some higher classes in a phased manner. “Negotiations are under way to address this pressing need. We are trying to rent out buildings and already inspected some buildings,” he said. Replying to a question, Akhtar said the school authorities are not averse to the increasing demand from the community, especially low-income families, to accommodate more students in the wake of comparatively higher fees at most privately-owned international schools in the city. “School authorities are under much pressure to accommodate as many students as possible. We are striving our best to meet the community's demand to make available quality education at reasonable fees,” he said. Meanwhile, prominent members of the community welcomed the move to introduce the shift system. They also said that shifts are not a best option but only a temporary alternative. Salah Karadan, former president of the managing committee, welcomed the move. “This would be a great relief for many parents who are running after seats for their wards at affordable fees. There are no other schools in Jeddah such as IISJ giving quality education at reasonable charges,” he said stressing the need for finding out more school buildings to meet the growing requirements. P.P Raheem, general convener of Jeddah Keralites Forum (JKF), said that shift system should not be introduced on a permanent basis as it would adversely affect the quality of education. “As a temporary arrangement, the shift system is OK for small classes like KG and first and second standards. Meeting a major requirement of the community should not be at the expense of the high level of academic standard being maintained by the school,” he said. While lauding Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai for his timely intervention to address the issue of school admissions, Raheem added: “We are also looking forward to the CG's action in favor of conducting school managing committee elections at the earliest possible time.” K.T.A. Muneer, working committee member of the Saudi Overseas Indian Cultural Congress (OICC), favored the shift system as a temporary solution to accommodate maximum number of students from low-income families. He suggested long-term measures to solve this problem by finding suitable buildings. Muneer commended Kidwai for taking the matter seriously and giving directions to address it. Earlier, Kidwai gave assurances to JKF leaders that admission to IISJ classes will be under the close observation and control of the Indian Consulate. Parents of other international Indian schools who voiced grievances about unaffordable fees charged by the school managements, also greeted IISJ's move. Sarfaraz Khan, accounts manager of National Petrochemicals Co., welcomed the move, saying: “This will undeniably give a relief to the worried Indian parents to some extent. But, it will be a great act of extreme appreciation if it is expanded to other sections of the IISJ so that many admission seeking parents could benefit in future.”
