Pakistani Community High School, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

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The Saudi Arabian International School - Pakistani Section (SAIS), more popularly known by its former name as the Pakistani Community High School (PCHS) due to its huge Pakistani student body and teaching staff, is a school serving the Pakistani community of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia residing in the rapidly developing and growing cities of Khobar, Dammam, Dhahran, Thuqbah, Ras Tanura, Abqaiq and Jubail.

[edit] Organization

The school consists of two wings, a boys and a girls section and is situated in the heart of Al-Khobar city on Prince Nayef Street between 18th and 19th streets. The student population here consists of over 3000 boys and girls altogether ranging from ages 5 to 18. This is a K-12 educational institution with a certified curriculum that has been gradually upgraded over the years. The school operates in two separate shifts (8am-1230pm, 315pm-730pm) and runs over 20 buses for the purpose of transporting students from and to home. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 40:1'. School uniform consists of white shirt, maroon tie, grey slacks, navy blue sweater or jacket, black shoes for junior boys (navy blue tie, navy blue slacks, maroon sweater or jacket for senior boys); green qameez, white stole, white shalwar, red sweater or jacket, white shoes for junior girls (white qameez and black sweater or jacket for senior girls). The school has always had strict rules and regulations enforced against opposite gender mingling and for respecting seniors and teachers. To someone from the Western world, it would remind them somewhat of a Catholic or a military school.

[edit] Neighborhood

The neighborhoods around the school are thickly populated with Pakistanis, mainly families with children of all ages. The school area reflects rich Pakistani tradition and culture - while walking or driving through this part of town, one could observe young-and-old Pakistani crowd busy in their daily life activities. These Pakistanis happen to be from all walks and parts of Pakistan, professionals and skilled workers, primarily from the major cities of Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad; working abroad for a better living. There are several Pakistani restaurants, grocery stores, salons, and other businesses in the vicinity. The locality is therefore informally known as Little Pakistan amongst the locals.

In the 80's the only attraction was the "Shola Market" that was later closed, but now nearest attractions to the area are Corniche, King Fahd Causeway, Rashid Mall, White Park, King Fahd Park, Half Moon Bay, Azizia Beach, etc. King Fahd University, Saudi Aramco Compound, and King Fahd International Airport are a few prominent landmarks.

[edit] History

The school was founded as a small room school in 1966-67 by Mr. Abbas Hussain Mallik of Sialkot, Pakistan, and now stands as a dignified complex of buildings. Initially it was a secondary school, but with the tireless efforts of the first principal Miss Amina Khanum, along with the girls section head Miss Rathore and boys section head Mr. Masoud Ahmed, the school first gained permission of matriculate level, later upgrading as an intermediate college or higher secondary school in 1983. Miss Amina Khanum was awarded Tamgha-e-Khidmat by the Government of Pakistan, for her meritorious services to the overseas Pakistanis in this region. Abbas Hussain Malik remained the Guardian of the school for more than a quarter of a century and had made this institution top of the line among the overseas Pakistani schools run by the Federal Board of Higher Secondary Education, Islamabad, Pakistan. The school has had the honor of standing first four times among all the overseas schools and has won certificates and cash prizes as a result. During its 40 years of establishment, Saudi Arabian International School - Pakistani Section, like any other school, has gone through its fair share of ups and downs, internal politics, and different administrations. Currently, the school is regulated by an independent committee based on concerned Pakistani professionals within the region.