The private schools, affiliated to the New Delhi-based Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), fell short of parents' expectation in the 10th Grade results compared to students studying at international Indian community schools. There are around 18 schools in Saudi Arabia affiliated to the CBSE board including seven international Indian community schools that field students for the annual 10th Grade board examination. The international Indian community schools, despite being overcrowded, having low tuition fees, lacking resources, being understaffed and often being the center of controversy regarding poor academic and administrative discipline, have excelled time and again by producing toppers in the Kingdom and posting record pass percentages in the 10th Grade CBSE results. In comparison, private schools with limited student enrolment, comparatively high tuition fees, good discipline among students and teachers and with efficient transport systems, have failed to match the academic excellence of the international Indian community schools, which are run by parents either elected or nominated by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh or its Consulate Office in Jeddah. The teacher-student ratio at private schools averages 1:10 or 1:12 as compared with 1:40 or more in international Indian community schools, which has an effect upon the performance of teachers and students in the classroom. Moreover, the fee structure in community schools based in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, which have a student enrolment of around 10,000, is lower than that of private schools. The average monthly tuition fees of SR160 or SR180 that community schools charge can be compared with private schools which range from a minimum of SR200 to SR480, which is a factor that parents question because of the failure of these schools to compete and produce national toppers. However, the principals who spoke to Saudi Gazette argued that it is not possible to compare the academic excellence of community schools and their private counterparts because of the great difference in the size of the schools. Meraj Mohammed Khan, Principal, DPS-Riyadh, said no parallel could be drawn between privately-owned and community schools in terms of academic results, simply because the latter were established more than 25 years ago and have had a vast amount of experience. Khan points out that DPS was established five years ago in Riyadh and this year only the second batch of students appeared from his school for the 10th Grade CBSE examination conducted in Saudi Arabia. Kazi Mohammed Siddique Haseeb, Principal, Modern International School, Al-Ahsa, said a student from his school ranked second in the 10th Grade results in the 2007-08 academic year. However, a student from IISD, a community school, was first in that academic year. The Kingdom's topper in the 10th Grade results for 2008-09 announced on Friday scored 95.4 percent and is from the International Indian School, Jeddah (IISJ, a community school). The second position went to a student who scored 95 percent from the International Indian School, Jubail (IISJub, also a community school). Two students from the International Indian School, Riyadh (IISR, a community school) shared the third position with 94.8 percent, and a student of IISD, another community school, took fourth place with 94.2 percent. In the history of CBSE board results for the 10th Grade examination conducted in the Kingdom, no private school has so far secured the top position in Saudi Arabia. A student at Al-Yasmin International School, Riyadh (a private school) scored 92.2 percent and thus was in fifth place in the Kingdom followed by a student from Darassalam International-Delhi Public School (DPS, Riyadh, a private school), a prestigious school in India and abroad, who shared the sixth position in the Kingdom with a student from Middle East International School, Riyadh (another private school) with 90.8 percent. A student from the International Indian Public School, Riyadh, (a community school) placed seventh in the Kingdom with 90.2 percent, which was followed in order by students from Al-Alia International Indian School, Riyadh (private school) 89.8 percent, Shathi Al-Noor International School, Jeddah, (private school) 89.6 percent, International Indian School, Tabuk (community school) 89.6 percent, and Modern International School, Al-Ahsa (private school) 88 percent.
