Graduation of 12 Students at Jordanian Christian and Missionary Alliance School Highlights Inclusive Education Efforts

Our school, Alliance Academy Jordan (AAJ), held the graduation ceremony on May 22 for our third cohort of 12 senior high school students. AAJ is a Christian school that combines academic excellence, inclusion of students with disabilities, and an education based on Christian values.

Founded in 2014 in Amman’s southern neighborhood of Al Yadoudeh, AAJ is owned and run by the Jordanian Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. The school’s founder, Rev. Habes Nemat, envisioned “a school that is accessible to every child without discrimination based on social standing, intellectual abilities, or physical/emotional disabilities.” His goals were that every child deserves to grow, learn, and succeed without being marginalized or categorized.

Our approach to inclusion stems from the vision of King Abdullah II, who helped direct the Jordanian parliament to pass a law that shifts from a charity-based approach to a human rights model, mandating equal opportunities and reasonable accommodations. Jordan’s Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities No. 20 for the Year 2017 is a landmark human rights legislation. It calls for the prohibition of discrimination across all sectors and calls for fully inclusive education within a decade.

From the outset, AAJ enrolled children with physical and other disabilities and fully included them alongside all other students, providing additional support as needed. This graduation season witnessed the success of one of our students, Saba Hijazin. Saba, who has severe cerebral palsy, was among the graduates who completed all requirements. At Saba’s insistence on taking the British Ordinary Level (O-Level) exams, we requested special access arrangements from the British Council in Jordan to allow him to take the exams using a laptop and extra time. The result was outstanding.

Our commitment to inclusion has not come at the expense of high academic achievement. We have worked hard to provide an enabling environment for all students without lowering expectations. Our goal has always been to ensure that our students reach their God-given potential.

In parallel, we help students build both intellect and character as we prepare them for success and responsibility in life. Our teachers and staff work diligently to provide opportunities for students to excel in the examination hall, in the lab, on the playground, in the music and talent theatre, and in whatever form of creativity they pursue, and we have won big in local, regional, and international competitions.

Our Academy’s mission extends beyond mere academic instruction and social integration to encompass the preservation of fundamental values and principles. Today, the world is racing headlong toward modernization and development; yet, regrettably, it is

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