KM SCOOP

Indian  School Controversy Special Edition keralamonitor

Controversial Private School MoU Goes Public

Undue favours to Private Promoters

An Agreement was executed at Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, on the 26th day of March 1992 between the then Indian Ambassador Ranjith Guptha and the Hindu Mahajan Association, Muscat President Kanaksi G. Khimji. This was regarding the schools run by the Association in Muttrah and Sohar. As per the agreement, the Indian Ambassador, the patron of Indian Schools, was convinced of the need to provide consistent and appropriate educational facilities to the children of the Indian community residing in the Sultanate of Oman. Therefore the then patron Ranjith Guptha sponsored to the concerned authorities in Oman and gave his consent to the Hindu Mahajan Association (HMA) to continue to manage and run Indian School Muttra (which is now the Indian School Wadi Kabir) and Indian School Sohar.

These schools have been in operation for several decades before the agreement was signed. The patron agreed to sponsor the schools on the basis of certain terms and conditions - some of which were apparently too favourable to the private party to make money and retain their control over not only the individual schools but also the Board of Directors, which supervise all the Indian community schools in the Sultanate of Oman. It may be recalled that the level of transparency and accountability in the functioning of Indian Schools or Missions was much less than the present level. Therefore, these agreements contained certain clauses, which according to the Patron and majority of Board members are apparently in violation of certain local rules governing Indian community schools.

The Board, which passed a resolution to revoke the license, says that the first clause of the agreement itself indicates that the two schools "shall adhere to the rules and regulations of the Government of Oman, as applicable from time to time." Since it is not relevant to reproduce the agreement in total, KM is giving some of the clauses for the Indian community members to make their own judgments about the whole issue.

* The patron through the Embassy and or his nominee will co ordinate whenever required with the Government of Oman on matters relating to the schools run by the Association. According to the agreement, the Association will be fully responsible for meeting all the financial obligations of the schools both of capital and revenue nature. These included cost of building construction, payment of lease rent for the land, fixing of scales of and payment of salaries, administrative and all other expenses including contributions to the Board of Governors. "The income of the schools from collection of fees and any other source will belong to the Association and to no other party," says the agreement. This clause, says the Board Members, is contradiction certain local rules governing the community schools. (---).

"The Association assumes responsibility for meeting from its own resources any excess of expenditure over income. In the event of income exceeding expenditure, such excess will belong to the Association to be disposed off in any manner it wishes," says clause 4 of the agreement. The Board says that the local rules prohibit using community schools from functioning for profit. "All the assets of the schools, moveable and immoveable like lease hold rights, buildings and other properties and financial reserves will belong only to the Association," says clause 5. Respective school management committees consisting of members nominated by the Association manage the day- to-day affairs of the schools. The appointment, retirement and nomination of the school committee shall be the sole responsibility of the Association. The patron will nominate the president of Indian School Muttrah (now Wadi Kabir) Management committee to be a member of the Board of Governors.

Control the Board to Control Schools

Clauses eight and nine are crucially designed to retain the Association hold over the BoG. President of Indian School (Darsait - now Muscat) Managing Committee will also be nominated to the BoG. The patron will nominate one more member to the BoG from among the names recommended to him by the Association, with the provision that if the president of the MC of Indian School Darsait ( ISM Now) not from among the persons recommended by the Association, then the patron will nominate two members to the BoG on the recommendation of the Association, in addition to the President of Indian School Muttra (ISW).

If the membership of the BoG is increased from the strength of 11(which prevailed till recently) in all cases the ratio of members recommended by the Association and approved by the patron to the total membership of the BoG will be maintained at 1 : 4 with fractions being rounded up to the next higher number as follows. If the total BoG membership is increased to 12, HMA will have 3 members. If BoG membership goes up to 13 to 16, HMA will have 4 members and for 17 to 20 BoG members, the Association will have 5 representatives! The Board members say that while many community schools, especially in the interior do not have representation in the BoG, the School governing board is filled with representatives of private parties with vested commercial interest.

Lease and Rent Leveraged

According to clause 11, the Association has reached agreement to lease for 25 years a plot of land in Wadi Kabir measuring approximately 6,000 sq mtrs of and to construct necessary buildings on it for the use of the school.( The current ISW Complex). The owners of the property will provide other facilities like playing fields in the plot as required. Permission to build on the plot of land has been obtained. A similar plot was available on lease in Sohar also on similar terms.

"The Association has to finance the present and future capital expenditure required to run the schools. In consideration of this, an annual rent shall be charged by the Association to the schools at RO 30 per square meter of covered space and RO 1.5 squre meter of uncovered space. This rate can be reviewed at the sole discretion of the Association!

Monopoly in Schooling - no other schools within 10 Kms

The patron shall not recommend/approve any new branch of Indian School (except a school affiliated to Kerala Board Syllabus) to any party other than the Association, to be located within a radius of 10 kms of the schools run by the Association, unless the Association is not in a position to provide sufficient space and facilities acceptable to the patron to cater to the increase in the number of children in future, says clause 14. Giving a monopoly position to an association, which represents only a miniscule of Indian community in Oman! According to the board members, the Association itself is not representing the mainstream Indian community but mainly the localized Indian business community.

Communications concerning running of the schools will be normally between patron/Embassy of India or their nominee and the managing committees of the schools. However, communications of important matters concerning policy will be between the patron/embassy of India or their nominee and the president of the Association.

The schools will abide by rules and regulations governing the functioning of community schools promulgated by the Ministry of Education or other ministries/authorities of Oman. In case the concerned authorities raise any objections, the managing committee and or the Association will take all possible steps to remove such objections.

With regard to school policy matters, which affect more than one Indian school in Oman, the schools under the purview of the association shall provide all necessary information called by the BoG for management of Indian schools in Oman and shall endeavour to settle all matters in the best interest of the Indian children. Should a difference of opinion arise between the BoG and the Association which cannot be resolved, the patron will consult the Association and the Board and nominate a person or persons acceptable to both the parties to arbitrate in the matter.

The agreement further says that it will remain in force "until terminated with the consent of both the Patron and the Association. Any amendment to the provisions of the agreement shall be made only with the consent of both the patron and the Association.

In case of any conflict between the provisions of this agreement and the a letter exchanged between the patron and the Association, the Constitution Governing the Supervision and Management of Indian Schools in the Sultanate of Oman (including any amendments, modifications of this Agreement and the letter shall prevail over the constitution. The agreement was signed by Ranjith Guptha, the Indian Ambassador (1992) and Hindu Mahajan Association Muscat President Kanaksi G. Khimji and witnessed by D.N.Tripathi, Chairman, Board of Governors Indian Schools and Gulabsi Ratansi President, MC Indian School Muttrah. Keralamonitor.com

An Earnest Appeal to Parents, Board Members and Community Leaders to find an amicable solution to school matters

The recent decision by the Board of Directors of Indian Schools in Oman to revoke what is believed to be controversial agreement signed between the Indian Ambassador Ranjith Guptha in 1992 and two private promoters Viz. the Hindu Mahajan Association and P. Mohammed Ali- has intensified the ongoing cold war between the Indian Ambassador in his capacity as the patron of Indian schools and majority of board members on one hand and two prominent private promoters and the board members representing them in the Indian School Board.Full Report