Opposition Panels Merge to Challenge ISB Governing Body Over Mismanagement

TDT | Manama

Email: pradeep@newsofbahrain.com

Opposition panels at the Indian School Bahrain (ISB) have formed a unified front to challenge what they term as "severe mismanagement" by the current school administration. In a joint press conference, leaders announced that the Indian School Parents Forum (ISPF) and Index have merged into the United Parents Panel (UPP) to address ongoing administrative and financial failures. The move comes as the school prepares for the next Management Committee election, expected between October and December.

The UPP strongly criticized the school's handling of a recent Special General Body meeting called to discuss tuition fee arrears. The opposition pointed out that parents with outstanding dues were barred from attending and stripped of voting rights, while only those who had cleared their fees were allowed in. The UPP questioned if the administration is keeping families in debt to exploit them as an election "vote bank," stressing that resolving the school’s financial issues requires open dialogue, not selective exclusion.

Financial mismanagement has also severely impacted staff welfare. While previous committees paid salaries on time alongside summer leave allowances, the current body has been distributing monthly pay in installments, though June salaries were recently cleared following intense parent pressure. The UPP clarified that parents must pay their fees but blamed the massive accumulation of arrears on the administration's systemic failure.