School’s out on rent: MPs say it’s time to buy, not lease

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Enough is enough. Stop paying rent and terminate the lease. This has been going on for half a century.

Now, let us buy the property housing Sanabis Primary Girls’ School.

This is according to a proposal put forward by MPs for voting. Parliament will discuss this proposal by MPs Mamdouh Al Saleh, Jalal Kadhem, Mohsen Al Asbool, Jaleela Alawi, and Mahmood Fardan on Tuesday.

"The ministry has been renting this place for over 50 years," the MPs said. "It’s about time we owned it outright—saving money and ensuring stability for students and their families."

Backing from the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee came easily, with members agreeing unanimously.

The Education Ministry is currently conducting a feasibility study to assess the property and surrounding land. The plan includes changing its classification from general public facilities to education-only zones.

Meanwhile, the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee cautiously agreed, stressing that new funding will need to be allocated in the 2025 and 2026 state budgets unless the Bahraini community contributes to the purchase.

The school, first opened in 1968, is central to the community. MPs warned that abruptly ending the lease arrangement might require relocating students, worsening local traffic congestion, and disrupting families. The proposal aligns with Bahrain’s Law No. 39 of 2009, which allows the government to acquire properties for community benefit, especially schools and educational establishments.