Independent Islamic school in Richmond founded in 2003 within the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre, a Shia centre - AZIA is the school arm and its calendar marks Shia observances. Publishes 230+ students, 25 staff, a 9.2:1 student-faculty ratio, 11 nationalities, a 1.26-acre campus and 10,000+ library books; offers Quran and Islamic studies, transportation, food service and counselling. Principal Sakina Walli-Merali, BC school code 03896729. Enrolment 230 is the floor of the published '230+'. BC Ministry of Education Group 1 certified independent school - Group 1 schools must employ BC-certified teachers and deliver the BC curriculum, and are inspected by the ministry. Note BC certifies rather than accredits, so `accredited` is left null.
At a glance
Tuition
Kindergarten to Grade 7: $6,000/year, plus a $600 re-enrolment/registration fee credited toward September tuition on confirmed enrolment and a $150 new-student admission fee. Junior Kindergarten is billed monthly: $1,445/month under 3 years and $1,431/month for 3+ before government support, reduced automatically by $545/month through CCFRI/CCOF to $900 and $886 respectively, with income-based Affordable Child Care Benefit available on top. Activity fee $15/month for all students. Financial aid is offered. Tuition changes yearly and discounts for siblings are common — confirm the current figure with the school before budgeting.
Programs & standing
Facilities & community services
At the school
- campus inside the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre at 8580 No. 5 Road, Richmond
- STREAM room (Science, Technology, Religious Education, Art and Math)
- sensory room 'designed to help children regulate their emotions, reduce stress, and build focus through sensory-based activities'
Services the community can ask for
- full-time Islamic day school, Junior Kindergarten to Grade 9, aligned with the BC curriculum
Listed from the organisation’s own material. A service not listed here isn’t necessarily unavailable — call the office and ask.
About Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy (AZIA)
The academy's history page states: 'Founded in September 2003, Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy is located within the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre, a vibrant hub of community life and spiritual learning. The school began with a Montessori Preschool & Kindergarten program alongside a combined Grade One/Two classroom ... Over the years, AZIA has grown into a full Junior Kindergarten to Grade 9 institution, continuously strengthening its academic programs in alignment with the BC curriculum. We take pride in offering a rich academic and spiritual experience that is deeply rooted in Shia Islamic principles.' Its parent, the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre, 'actively promot[es] the values and practices of the Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jaffari Faith ... Following the teachings of the Holy Qur'an, the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW), and the Ahlulbayt (AS)'. CRA registered Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy Society (744891136RR0001) effective 2023-01-01 - twenty years after the school opened - with a mailing address at 3103 - 667 Howe St, Vancouver, which is not the school's Richmond campus. A related Az-zahraa Housing Society (774173314RR0001) was registered in 2018.
From the organisation’s own pages, checked 13 Aug 2026 — see the sources below.
Shia — The academy's own history page says it offers 'a rich academic and spiritual experience that is deeply rooted in Shia Islamic principles', and its page on its parent centre says 'The Az Zahraa Islamic Centre is at the heart of our community, actively promoting the values and practices of the Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jaffari Faith'. That is a report we have not confirmed with the organisation itself, and we would rather show you where it came from than present it as settled.
What we haven’t confirmed
We could not establish: co-ed or single-sex, hifz program, before/after care. Those are published as gaps rather than filled with a plausible guess. If you know the answer — especially if you are from this organisation — tell us and we will verify and update the listing.
Where to go next
Sources for this listing
Every factual claim on this page traces to a source below. Details change — check the original source before relying on any figure, fee or legal position.
- Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy - Home — azia.ca
- Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy - Tuition & Fees — azia.ca
- Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy - History — azia.ca
- Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre - AZIA ('actively promoting the values and practices of the Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jaffari Faith ... the Holy Qur'an, the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW), and the Ahlulbayt (AS)') — azia.ca
- Indoor Facilities - AZIA (gymnasium, smart boards in every classroom, STREAM room, sensory room) — azia.ca
- BC Ministry of Education - Independent Schools list (School and District Contact Information) — bcschoolcontacts.gov.bc.ca
- CRA Charities Listings - Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy Society (BN 744891136RR0001, registered 2023-01-01, mailing address 3103 - 667 Howe St, Vancouver BC V6C0B5) — apps.cra-arc.gc.ca