Settlement reached with building owner
Classes to resume in Rehab campus soon
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – Classes at the Boys’ Section of the International Indian School Jeddah will resume within a few days following the resolution of the crisis arising from a court verdict in favor of the building owner.
Deputy Consul General and School Observer Mohammed Shahid Alam told Saudi Gazette that the resolution of the issue came with signing of a new rent agreement with the landlord Sayeed Omer Bal Khurram on Tuesday night.
Representing the Indian community, Alam led the marathon negotiations with the owner of the building, which resulted in the breakthrough.
The agreement, which is of a temporary nature, is up to July 31, 2019.
"The building owner and School Managment will discuss and negotiate new contract on mutually acceptable terms and conditions."
When asked what would happen if there was no agreement, Alam said, “We will also be exploring other viable options.”
While thanking the community for their support, Alam said: “Over the last few days, we all were on emergency mode to resolve the issue and get back the campus to the community without any delay. Ahmed Javed, ambassador of India and patron of Indian schools in the Kingdom, and Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh as well as the members of the community in the Kingdom and abroad were very much concerned about this issue and finally we have a breakthrough after putting in a lot of efforts.”
Alam said there would be a decision soon with the regard to issue of the school managing committee. The Ministry of Education had dissolved the previous committee on Aug. 7.
On his part, Sheikh expressed happiness over the resolution of the IISJ Rehab campus issue. “We worked hard to address the concerns of the Indian community with regard to the school as it would adversely affect the future of thousands of students,” he said, while emphasizing that all outstanding issues with regard to signing of a new rent agreement were sorted out during the negotiations with the building owner.
In a message shared on social media on Tuesday night and a circular sent to parents on Wednesday, Dr. Najeeb Qais Ammar, principal in charge, announced the news of resolving the campus issue.
He said classes would resume soon at the Boys’ Section in Al-Rehab. “Extensive efforts of the embassy and consulate were finally successful in achieving a sustainable deal to avert a crisis arising out of unfavourable court verdicts. We sincerely appreciate the support of Ministry of External Affairs and convey sincere gratitude to all those who reposed faith in us,” he said. Ammar told Saudi Gazette that the school authorities were now busy with the arrangements to resume classes at the campus within a couple of days. “Most of the furniture and materials, which were removed out of the campus, will be brought back from Friday,” he said.
Read more:
Indian community heaves sigh of relief at getting back IISJ campus
