The International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ) has ruled out the possibility of reexamination for students who failed Grade XI in 2008-09 while the indecision by the International Indian schools in Riyadh and Dammam has raised parents' concerns. The failure of large numbers of students in Grades IX and XI, the precursor of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams, has become an issue for parents, who fear that their children will have to repeat one academic year if the managing committees of these schools decide not to conduct reexaminations. The parents of failed students have been lobbying to put pressure on the respective managing committees in Riyadh and Dammam to conduct re-examinations for failed students in one of the two subjects. Akbar Bacha, Chairman of the IISJ managing committee, however, dismissed any possibility of reexamination for the failed students. In fact, conducting reexamination for failed students was never an issue at IISJ, he stated categorically. He said to conduct reexaminations for failed students, merely to promote them to the next class would be a mockery of the examination system, adding that it was obvious that the students failed in the annual examination because they were weak and therefore got low scores. “We don't accept pressure from parents, who should realize the strengths and weaknesses of their children and work for their better future. Academic matters cannot be influenced by parents' emotions,” he said. M.J. Siddiqui, IISR Principal, said the school management had repeatedly sent circulars to parents of “weak” students. It was unfortunate, he said, that every academic year, parents show interest only after their children have failed in the annual examination, he said. Talibur Rahman, Chairman of the IISR managing committee, said a decision on whether to conduct reexaminations for failed students will be taken soon.
