Institution Spotlight: Arab Episcopal School Irbid, Jordan

Before 2003 blind and visually-impaired children in Irbid, Jordan, had no options for education besides traveling an hour each way to Amman. That’s when the Rev. Samir Esaid and Mrs. Sabah Zurikat founded the Arab Episcopal School in Irbid, a city of about 1.7 million people. 

Since its founding, with Esaid and Zurikat still at the helm, AES has expanded greatly, offering Kindergarten through grade 10 with 259 seeing children and visually-impaired children learning side by side. “We’re so thankful for the ways the school has grown, and the support we’ve received both from our community here in Irbid, to communities in many parts of the world. It is only through the dedication of our staff and the support of friends that we’re able to continue teaching integration and peace education,” Zurikat explained.

In addition to offering a full academic, integrated program, the Arab Episcopal School works to develop its students’ character by offering a peace curriculum that is built on democracy, respect of human rights, an emphasis on volunteer work and being good stewards of the environment.

To learn more about donations to the Arab Episcopal School in Irbid, please contact AFEDJ Executive Director John Lent at jlent@afedj.org