Jan 06, 2025
The Manarat Alumni Story
Manarat Jeddah started off as a school for Children of expatriates in Saudi Arabia.
The thing about Manarat was the environment we shared irrespective of background, wealth or race, we at Manarat shared a common theme: Manarat theme or son thing non-Manarat students would not understand.
Ever since learning about the internet, tried finding friends of Manarat in Facebook. I found in a Google search in 2003-Elisha Karatash. A well-known writer in Turkey and a classmate’s sister. Their dad worked in an Islamic Development bank. Salahuddin Karatash studied in Manarat Jeddah with me from class 1(1979) to Class 5(1984). Then he left for the British school: continental. The school was co-educational. I still could not find Omar Farooq. I posted in a site called
Well, especially my close friend Omar Farooq Saleh. Well, learning more about Facebook groups. Thought of starting a manarat group in Facebook.
But then there were many groups. Think of the different manarat schools:
• Manarat Jeddah
• Manarat Riyadh
• Manarat Makkah
• Manarat Madinah
I thought of making one Facebook group but then there were so many Facebook groups for Manarat.
Why not one face group for all Manarat Students?
Mueen Nawaz’s Manarat Ventures -1995
The earliest in making a website for Manarat Jeddah alumni was a younger brother Mueen Nawaz: of a class friend. Thanks to him as he led the way. (1995). His brother Farid Nawaz was a close friend from class 1 to 10. We were not that close until class 3 and Faried was very shy and rarely talked. It is not that he changed much in his senior years. He rarely talked but with persons he liked: had long conversations. His dad too worked in King Abdul Aziz University, like my father.
I used to visit his house in Jeddah near 2nd Sarawat I think. He was in the same building as Rocky and Mickey. (I connected with Mickey a few years ago in a YouTube comment. He is also from Manarat but much junior. They, like us, were Bengali, originally from West Bengal, India. ).
Faried Nawaz
Faried became very close as a friend in 6th grade. He used to lend me many books. Some of the books he introduced to me were:
There were other books that I cannot remember. He also introduced me to computers, DOS, and Windows. Nothing special huh? This was in 1986. I had read a lot of books in the Manarat school library but never encountered a book on Bill Gates or Steve Jobs’ Apple story. Great mistake. Otherwise, me and Faried might have founded a well-known Startup. He was very good technically and in IT news, but I connected with people. He currently heads a senior role in a well-known gaming company. Though I thought he would stay in the US after his studies.
IIT Kharagpur foundation
IIT or Indian Institute of Technology is a well-known engineering University in India. Alumni include the current CEO of Google. My dad had completed his engineering from IIT Kharagpur. This is why I had heard of the IITKGP foundation a non-profit organization of IIT alumni all over the world, They maintain ties with IIT Kharagpur and contribute financially and other activities. I thought why can’t we do this ? Well, the first step would be meeting virtually groups.
FaceBook groups
https://www.facebook.com/groups/manaratjeddahalumini/
Though slowly increasing but all are students from Manarat Jeddah English Section.
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/manaratjeddahAlumnus/?__nodl
We connected with long-lost friends and teachers from this group.
I was waiting for the Manarat Jeddah school authorities to already have a site for their alumni. But they did not have any alumni site, surprisingly.
We are Manaratians from Manarat Jeddah, we're the best, well academically.
Ok The British School: called Continental did have a swimming pool and had fancy fixtures but when it came to academics it was Manarat Jeddah.
There was PCS, the American school. Did you guys know this school was founded in 1952 by expatriates?
Currently AISJ: American International School Jeddah https://www.aisj.edu.sa/about
For the guys who were not doing well in Manarat, those students shifted over there.
Well as I searched for manarat news, there was not any anyway.
I learned the following:
• Manarat was founded by Prince Muhammad Al Faisal (Son of King Faisal) The School was sold to Maarif Education.
• Well 10% being to sold to Gems Education. (A CO Education school). This was very recently and that is why I registered the site:manaratjeddah.com Habiba Hamid's article. She works for Newsweek. I shared one my stories on Twitter and she replied:
“Shukran for the mention! A better anecdote is found in
@HumaAbedin
’s remarkable book. She describes the confidence that came from Manarat in such moving detail. And if you could interview Mrs Aisha directly that’d be even better”
Who is Habiba Hamid?
She is from the Manarat Jeddah Girl's school. Her bio in detail.
"A co-educational experiment launched in the 1980s, these schools truly were a beacon — the English translation of manarat — for so many students. Too many schools in Saudi Arabia were just cash cows set up by expatriates, churning out sub-standard diplomas and graduates with elitist attitudes. On the other hand, there were the many Wahhabi-oriented madrasahs, or religious schools, designed to indoctrinate children without teaching them critical thinking..."
"The adventure began when one of a royal circle of reformers, Prince Mohammed Al Faisal Al-Saud, launched Manarat as part of a larger vision. He drafted my parents to shape its strategic direction and Dr. Tawfiq Al-Shawi, an Egyptian legal authority on democracy, championed the project among Saudi policymakers. One of the first things my mother did was to recognize the talents of a school teacher, who grew to become one of our closest family friends. Aisha Abdullah is a tall, African American convert to Islam with a heavy southern drawl. Her stoicism and imposing calm got her appointed as headmistress in a Manarat school in Jeddah, where she ran a tight ship.
Dilettantes, who were far too used to throwing their connections around crying wasta — an Arabic term for the use of powerful client networks and connections — threatened her career and played the race card like it was going out of fashion. But she would have none of it. She wasn't chosen for her political savvy or ability to pander to a brash set of royals. But Mrs. Aisha, as many still refer to her even after all these years, could and did face down and discipline scores of spoilt children. Manarat sought to demolish ideas of wealth, class, race and nationality in an egalitarian project which mixed expatriates from Africa, Asia and Europe with Saudi nationals, with classes in both English and Arabic. Schools across Saudi Arabia, from Al Khobar to Jeddah, were built from the ground up with white-washed walls and cool marble floors. "
-----Habiba Hamid.
source:https://www.masress.com/en/dailynews/122165
Finally, a Doctor friend of mine (Manarat Jeddah ) from the USA encouraged me and ultimately domain was registered and site made. There was no central place of meeting or getting any info of Manarat Jeddah alumni and friends. Then even
Marif's Education of Manarat schools did not have a website for Manarat Jeddah.
The final impulse behind the site was: Dr. Ahsan who is based in the US. I told him that Marif’s Education would make a site. He said:
They won’t Abbas. You do it.
He gave partial initial investment and motivation for ultimately registering the site and in the development of the site. People going to the US can feel free to visit him. We are thinking of having a Manarat Alumni Area in NY. (Dr. Ahsan is going to help). Currently redesigning the site professionally so donations would be very helpful. Pls email us first:manaratjeddahalumnus@gmail.com.
Why Manarat Alumni
You might be wondering why the name Manarat Alumni. The reason is at first I thought to call it Manarat Jeddah Alumni. But the thing is in 2014 I learned about Manarat‘s owners and it being sold to Maarif Education. Then around 2018, it was sold 50% to GEMS Education. This is when I thought original alumni –Manarat schools? Where will we go? Since Marif Educations’ Manarat is also changing. OK the tie is there until Mr Yusif(Chemistry teacher), current headmaster is there.
Manarat Alumni was created to unite all Manarat school alumni from the time of its founding to 2003.
So Manarat Alumni can meet virtually at least. Physically –we need funding for that.
The FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/manaratalumni
This is the issue with the logo
The logo of Manarat Jeddah belongs to Maarif Education. So I thought if I used that logo it might cause hassles if Maarif Education objects.
I looked for designers on the internet. She happened to be connected to an organization called Creative IT. I think she learned there since I can’t remember. But I chose her since she was really good and I liked her sense of design.
Well, finally new logo was made:
New Logo designed-2019.
Online Reunions
Thanks again to Hasan D, and we organized two online reunions meeting Mr Yusf and Mr Chowdhury.
We had two online reunions and it was very heart warming. Mr Chowdhury was feeling very emotional.
Achievements after the development of the initial site :
At Nakeel Restaurant. Meeting after 30 years.
Connecting with Girls School Headmistress: Ms. Ayesha Abdullah
Many alumni from Manarat Jeddah girls have made a place in the world.
For example:
I was wondering why are the alumni from Manarat Jeddah girls are different, they have a more ambitious outlook on life. The answer is the headmistress Ayesha Abdullah.
She is an African American Muslim who was the headmistress for a long time in Manarat Jeddah girls.
A site managed by her daughter.
Connected to Hiba Abdullah so I can get an interview. But could not become busy in other things.
Whatsapp group
Dr Mustafa Kamel ,(a classmate) who is based in Kuwait advised me to create a Whatsapp group.
Created a WhatsApp group. Somehow got numbers. Hasan Dantata(Manarat Jeddah alumni) helped me initially in moderation of the group and introduced me to Bakr Tamory who I knew on LinkedIn, etc. He merged his group with mine. He is from IT (as in Apple). I would say he was very active but thing was believed in security -Signal, Telegram. I guess he understands more than us about security in apps as he is in the IT sector as well knows the loopholes.
-Created a Whatsapp group for Manarat alumni (mostly from Manarat Jeddah)
-Five teachers from Manarat Jeddah joined
-Created a separate class group.
The point is yes class-wise wise we can all have our separate groups no problem but unified by single organization Alumni.
Nael Abdullah‘s find of the original school.
Nael Abdullah (classmate) is now an English Teacher in Saudi Arabia. He took pains to find the original Manarat Jeddah building in Makronah Street I think.
It can be watched in your YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/@manaratalumni6567
LinkedIn Group
A LinkedIn group was created, former CEO of Saudia is also a member.
The Story –Climax
Omar Farooq mailed me in 2022. We get connected after a period of 20 years. (in communication). A lot more. If I had connected to him in 2002 I might not built this platform or that interested.
The reason for this site was:
• Manarat Jeddah alumni keep in touch with each other
• All other Manarat Alumni keep in touch
• Arabic section of all Manarat Schools
• Girls school of all Manarat schools
• Professional contact
• Meeting physically for reunion Share ideas.
In the golden age we share memories and knowledge we learned in the 1980s and 1990s,we share it in Facebook groups and WhatsApp.
Currently
We are redesigning:
• Redesign of website by professionals.(Contributions are appreciated).
Currently focusing on member directories for Manarat Jeddah Alumni.
But will focus later on:
• Manarat Jeddah Girls Alumni
• Manarat Girls Alumni
• Manarat Boys English and Arabic.
note :
Only girls can access Manarat Girls alumni from both the English and Arabic section
Only boys can access Manarat Boys alumni from both the English and Arabic sections.
These directories are available for registered users.
Presently e-mail for registration on our site.:info@manaratjeddah.com.
Use Google Forms to keep your information. https://manaratjeddah.com/manaratainfo/
But I cannot do this alone, need your help too.
PayPal e-mail for contribution. Pls, e-mail me after you have sent a contribution.
by Abbas Mandal
abbas.mandalr@gmail.com
