Queen Rania pays a surprise visit to a school and tours Al Asirra Al Bayda’a home for the elderly

October 29, 2003

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department - Amman) Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah paid a surprise visit to a school in Khreibet Al Souq and visited a home for the elderly in Juweideh as part of efforts to ensure the social development of all sectors of Jordanian society.

The visit to Khreibet Al Souq Elementary School in Yadoudeh area south of Amman came in line with Queen Rania’s efforts to ensure quality education to all Jordanians following a similar visit to a school in Sweimeh in the Jordan Valley last week where she got a first hand look at the facility and the quality of education provided to students.

Stressing the importance of providing students with the proper educational environment, Queen Rania instructed that a more proper facility be rented for the school which has been operating out of an inadequate rented premises since 1985.

Queen Rania toured the classrooms, read with the students and conversed with them. She also talked with teachers of the school which has 224 students and directed that schoolbags and sweaters be distributed to students.

Queen Rania’s next stop was a visit to Al Asirra Al Bayda’a (White Beds Society) home for the elderly in the area of Al-Juweideh, east of Amman.

During the visit to the home which now hosts 65 elderly people, Her Majesty toured the facility and chatted with the elderly residents, inquiring about their needs.

She also received a briefing on the various services offered by the home, including medical and health care services catering to specific medical conditions of residents.

Queen Rania instructed that means be provided for the residents to be able to undertake the Hajj this year.

The residents of the home, the eldest being 103, expressed their gratitude for the visit, which demonstrates Her Majesty’s ongoing interest in the situation of the elderly and her appreciation for their contributions to Jordanian society through years of service in various areas and fields.