Class apart: IIS Dammam pupils scale new heights

International Indian School (IIS), Dammam, located in the Eastern Province, is one of the largest community schools in the world with over 17,000 students on its roll in the 3-17 years of age and 1,000 strong faculty members imparting education at pre-school, kindergarten, primary, upper primary and middle school, and secondary and senior secondary levels.
E K Mohammed Shaffe, principal and head of the institution, told Arab News that the school had a humble beginning in a few porta-cabins with 250 students and 15 teachers, with classes from LKG to 4th standard.
“Over 30 years, the school had many landmark achievements. The school now has more than 450 classrooms in two sprawling campuses (boys and girls sections) with all modern amenities — two large multipurpose halls, indoor and outdoor games’ facilities, a fully equipped gymnasium, modern laboratories, eight fully automated libraries with a collection of over 50,000 volumes of books,” said Shaffe, a recipient of national best teachers award from the president of India. In addition, IIS Dammam has the distinct feature of a special section attending to children with special needs, he said.
This section currently takes care of 35 such children with the help of a 10-member specially qualified staff and special infrastructure.
According to the school administration, IIS Dammam has a proven record of academic excellence achieving 100 percent quality results at AISSC Class 10th and Class 12th examinations of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) throughout the years. The school acquired CBSE affiliation in 1984.
The first batch of 21 students appeared at the Class 10th board examination in March 1986 and the first batch of Class 12th students appeared at the board examination in 1991.
IIS Dammam excels in co-curricular activities too as girls’ section team emerged winner of the 1st Patron’s Medal Quiz India Contest, aimed at spreading awareness on India-Saudi relations and patriotic fervor among students.
The grand finale was held at Indian embassy on Jan. 17 with Indian ambassador Hammid Ali Rao giving the winning trophy.
The school is the overall cluster champions continuously for three years now. School administration added that in CBSE national athletics meet too IIS Dammam has proved its mettle by winning a bronze medal in 4x100 meter relay.
“We have won zonal badminton championship and table tennis titles too in inter-school competitions. We are the overall athletic champions in the Eastern Province private schools league meet. The school also has Bharat Scout and Guide contingents of boys and girls, Cubs, Bulbuls and Bunnies,” the school stated. Furthermore, IIS Dammam conducts annual events like science exhibition SPECTRA, educational exhibition EduEX and Career Expo regularly.
“Our Career Guidance Cell is active throughout the year holding career and counseling sessions and motivational sessions providing guidance and support to our senior students,” officials said.
The school actively participates in community welfare activities extending its infrastructure and manpower resources. During the grace period of Nitaqat, the school rendered services responding to the call from the embassy of India.
A seven-member managing committee elected by the parents governs the school affairs under the guidance and patronage of the ambassador. Thirunavukkarsu is the chairman of the present managing committee.