GURUGRAM: An International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Gurugram has shut operations overnight citing 'renovation', leaving the career and future of around 70 students, 20 permanent and remaining part-time staff in lurch.
The Ardee School in Sector 52 concluded its last class on May 12.
The school has now released a press statement and said: "Dear parents and students of Ardee School, We want to address the false claims being spread online by a few people with vested interests. We understand that this misinformation has caused concern and confusion, and we want to make everything transparent here.
"Firstly, we want to assure you that we have always had the best interest of our students and faculty in mind. We have been facing a challenging situation with the dilapidating condition of our campus, and after much consideration, we made the decision to transfer the remaining students to our state-of-the-art Delhi branch while we rebuild.
"We understand that this may be a difficult transition for some, but we want to emphasise that we have offered all students a place in our Delhi branch and have even provided transportation for those who need it. We have also offered options for those who do not want to travel, and we are working with them to find other suitable schools in Gurugram," it stated.
"We want to clarify that only about 70 students were left in the school, and not hundreds, as has been claimed. We have also ensured that all part-time faculty and support staff are being treated fairly and given notice periods as per their contracts.
"We understand that this may be a challenging time, but we want to assure you that we are committed to coming back bigger and better, just as we have done in Ardee Goa. We appreciate the support and encouragement we have received from many of our parents and students, and we are grateful for your understanding during this transition.
"The academic session at Ardee School ended in May. This allowed parents and students two months of the summer break to find a new school in Gurugram if they choose not to shift to Ardee School Delhi. We want to assure you that we have taken every step possible to make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved. Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to see you at Ardee School Delhi soon.
"Thank you for your trust in Ardee School, and we look forward to continuing to provide the best education for our students," the school statement added.
"The school campus is in dilapidating condition, and after consideration, we made the decision to transfer the remaining students to our Delhi branch while we rebuild the Gurugram campus. We told parents that the management would offer transfers to its Delhi campus if wanted and offer daily conveyance for students willing to study there," Aviral Rishi, Business Head of Ardee School, told IANS.
Aviral said no extra fees will be charged to students willing to study out Delhi branch. The management will ensure that all full-time and part-time faculty and support staff were treated fairly and given notice periods as per their contracts.
A teacher of the school requesting anonymity said that the school management informed the teachers about the decision and claimed that the school will shut down for 'renovation' for up to 2 years.