Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH — Four outgoing students of the International Indian School-Jeddah (IISJ), who received letters of appreciation from India’s Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani for their outstanding performance, made an appeal to the minister to take urgent steps to address the Indian community’s much sought after demand for introducing higher education facilities in the Kingdom.



Speaking to Saudi Gazette, the students, who secured high marks in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) grade 12 examination, also thanked the minister for her positive gesture that would be a big motivation for hundreds of thousands of Indian teens studying in the Gulf and other countries.



Irani has sent letters of congratulations to Raqib Hasan Khan and Asif Ali Puthukkolly Ali, who secured 100 percent marks in chemistry and mathematics respectively.



Simra Pervez secured 99 percent marks in home science and Tasneem Abbas 97 percent in English.



The minister said in her letter: “My heartiest congratulations on your wonderful performance in the CBSE Class XII examination this year. Your success is the result of your dedicated hard work and commitment. You have made your parents, school and our country proud. All success to fulfill your dreams and achieve the goals you have set for yourself in life."



Speaking from Shahjahan Pur of Uttar Pradesh, Raqib Hasan Khan, the topper of IISJ and the second topper in the Kingdom, thanked Irani for her valuable and encouraging comments.



Even before the declaration of results, Khan left for India to sit for various entrance examinations.



With an ambition to become an electrical engineer, Khan has already qualified in India’s Joint Entrance Examination, and entrance exams of UP State Engineering, and Jamia Millia Islamia.



Khan urged the minister to fulfill the dreams of tens of thousands of senior secondary school graduates to continue their higher studies in the Kingdom by taking measures to introduce higher studies.



He said: "Studying after 12 in the Kingdom isn’t a good choice and the technical courses offered in the Kingdom aren’t up to the mark as compared to that in India. Not only KSA, but I feel the entire Gulf region lack facilities for meritorious students, in addition to high cost of education for expatriates."



While thanking the minister, Asif Ali assured her that the Indian students would follow his suit with outstanding performance.



However, he requested the minister to address the longtime demand of Indian expatriate students and their parents to introduce higher education facilities in the Gulf.



Ali, a Keralite who plans to do electrical and electronics engineering, also thanked teachers and parents for their guidance. On her part, Pervez lamented the lack of higher education facilities especially for Indian girls in the Kingdom.



“Although being excited by my result, respected minister, you will be deeply saddened to know that there are no facilities available here for us (Indian students) to further our education nor are there any coaching classes, which could prepare us for professional course, entrance exams etc.”



She hoped that the minister would look into this situation and initiate constructive action to facilitate higher educational institutes in the Kingdom.



Pervez, who hails from Hyderabad, expressed her delight and joy to receive the letter of appreciation.



“This would not have been possible without the help of Allah. I would like to extend my appreciation to my parents and my home science teacher Nishat.” Daughter of a finance professional, Pervez plans to do her graduation in nutrition or computer applications.



While thanking the minister, Tasneem Abbas who is now in Kerala for higher studies, shared her feelings of delight over the minister’s appreciation.



She thanked Almighty Allah, parents and IISJ teachers. Expressing her sorrow for leaving her parents behind in the Kingdom, Abbas urged the minister to create higher education facilities for expatriate students, especially girls.



Jubilant over the honor for IISJ and its outstanding students from India’s minister, Principal Syed Masood Ahmed told Saudi Gazette that this is a great motivation for all IISJ students.



He also shared the views of students in introducing higher studies in the Kingdom. “It is the need of the hour to explore the avenues for introducing higher education facilities in Saudi Arabia. There are several girls who are forced to halt their studies after higher secondary education for no faults of theirs. They are reluctant to go back home because of the compelling job-related circumstances of their parents who in turn are worry to send their daughters alone.”



Ahmed suggested that courses like engineering, commerce, basic sciences and humanities could be introduced in the Kingdom.



He also appealed to the Indian authorities to review and revise the fee structure for NRI (Non Resident Indian) students from the Gulf states after taking into account of the fact that most of the Indian parents in the Gulf are doing blue collar jobs.



“They should not be considered like NRIs from the Western countries, and therefore, they shall be given fee concession for higher courses of study back home,” he said.