Initiative seeks to end use of chalk at schools, install whiteboards

AMMAN — The Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) on Tuesday launched an initiative to facilitate digital transformation at the country’s schools.

The initiative was launched as the Jordan Teachers Association continues a strike demanding better salaries and a new allowance, previously referred to as the “chalk allowance”.

“It is unbelievable that we still use chalk at a majority of the country’s schools,” Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and CEO of TAG-Org, told reporters. 

“The problem is not with asking for an allowance for teachers who use chalk, it is about the fact that our schools are still using chalk while the world is rapidly moving towards digital education,” Abu Ghazaleh said. 

The initiative entails giving teachers the “chalk allowance” only for this year, he noted.

It also entails the Ministry of Education floating tenders to replace chalkboards at public schools with whiteboards, he added.

“Installing whiteboards at the country’s classrooms will only cost around JD6 million,” Abu Ghazaleh noted.

The initiative also entails floating tenders to provide schoolchildren with smart bags as well as training teachers on digital teaching, he said, proposing the formation of a committee involving the public and private sectors to look into financing these projects.

“Jordan is late in digital education and this is the problem that needs to be addressed to build a bright future for the generations of tomorrow,” Abu-Ghazaleh added.

“It is unacceptable that our children are out of school at present because of calls demanding a ‘chalk allowance’,” he said, calling for a vision and a strategy to adopt digital education as soon as possible.