Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Thousands of parents and authorities of private schools across the Kingdom heaved a sigh of relief Thursday after most of the schools received text messages from the Ministry of Education asking them not to give into rumors of raids and suspend classes. The ministry also informed them that procedures were underway, in coordination with the concerned agencies, to allow housewives to work as teachers. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, a number of school principals thanked the ministry for its timely intervention to allay fears and unwanted panic created by some quarters. The ministry's SMS, obtained by Saudi Gazette, reads as follows: “Dear owners and directors of international and community schools. We are pleased to inform you that we had contacted the Passports Department officials after rumors about raids on some schools and they have informed us that inspection visits will be held only in coordination with the Department of Education. We hope that you won't suspend classes. Procedures are underway, in coordination with the concerned agencies, to allow housewives to work at schools.” The ministry's message follows an assurance from the ministry's spokesman Tuesday. Muhammad Al-Dokhaini said that reports about the raids were baseless. The spokesman also emphasized the ministry's keenness in ensuring smooth functioning of all educational institutions in the Kingdom so as to serve the interests of students and not to affect them in any way. Hailing the ministry's new directive, Dr. E.K. Mohammed Shaffe, principal of the Dammam International Indian School, told Saudi Gazette that exaggerated reports and rumors were behind the panic and worries that gripped the expat community over the raids on school premises. “When we received several calls about a possible imminent raid, we contacted the ministry officials and got the assurance that there is no cause for alarm and that schools can work normally. The community should realize that the Saudi authorities are more supportive and cooperative toward it and perhaps their attitude is more favorable than what we had received in our home country,” he said. Shaffe noted that the ministry officials have a clear picture about the status of all teachers from the information provided by each school and they are always taking lenient approach toward the expatriate community. Confirming the receipt of the ministry's notification, Humaira Naseem, academic director at Al-Falah International School (DPS Jeddah), said that there was no panic situation at her school or any other schools in the city. She also denied rumors about a recent raid on her school. “Rumors about the raid and arrest of some teachers were baseless. No teachers failed to show up at the school when it reopened on March 30 according to the school calendar,” she said. Naseem noted that the school authorities have taken swift measures to correct the status of all teachers. “We convened a meeting of all teachers, who are not under the school's sponsorship, together with their husbands on Friday in the presence of the sponsor and the school managing committee president. “We managed to obtain signed papers of almost all teachers to transfer their sponsorship to the school,” she said. K. Rahamathullah, principal of Al Wurood International School for Boys, said that the school has almost completed the process of correcting status of teachers. “Out of the 35 teachers, 30 of them are under the school's sponsorship while the sponsor has applied for visa for the remaining five teachers,” he said adding that there are some housewives working at the girls' section and the management has started procedures to correct their status also. Rahamathullah pointed out that all Peevees Group of schools in the Kingdom, including Wurood of Jeddah, Yasmin of Riyadh and Al-Khozama of Dammam, are now in Nitaqat green category. K.T. Muhammad, manager of Al-Mawarid International School, thanked the ministry for taking a positive and lenient approach to ensure smooth running of private schools. “The school has met almost all the requirements of the ministry, and has now been completing procedures to correct the status of teachers. “The school, which has more than 3,000 students, is also hiring more Saudis,” he said adding that at present the school has about 20 Saudi staffers plus a Saudi principal for the girls' section too. Reports showed that there are more than 2,000 housewives working as teachers at community schools. Abdurahman Al-Haqabani, president of the national committee for private education at the Council of Saudi Chambers, said that schools are racing against time to correct the status of these teachers by the end of this year. On his part, Tareq Malik, president of the committee for private boys' schools at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, remarked that it is better to correct the status of housewives rather than resorting to recruitment of teachers from abroad.
