President confers national award on IIS Dammam principal

ALKHOBAR - The Indian government has honored International Indian School-Dammam Principal Dr. E.K. Mohammed Shaffe by conferring a national award on him.

Shaffe received the award from Indian President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi last week. The annual award, which is given away every year, is meant to recognize the services of meritorious and talented teachers.

"This National Award belongs to all those who have supported me wholeheartedly in executing my duties as a principal," Shaffe told Arab News. "Without the support of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia it would not have been possible to achieve the excellent results that we have been producing all these years."

Shaffe comes from Cochin in the south Indian state of Kerala. He became the principal of Dammam school in 2006. He served as vice principal, principal and director of the International Indian School-Jeddah between 2000 and 2006. He has been in the teaching profession for the last 35 years, 25 of which were spent in various Gulf states.

International Indian School - Dammam which is located in Rakah area between Dammam and Al Khobar, is the largest educational institution of its kind in the kingdom as well as in the Gulf. Its present strength is 14500 students, 700 members in the teaching faculty and around 150 members of non teaching staff.

Submitted By: Arshad Kadli, Bhatkallys Correspondent Eastern Province