Educators explore, exchange best educational practices

AMMAN – More than 130 educators and policy makers convened in the capital on Wednesday to discuss ways to improve teachers' performance and the quality of education through regional collaboration. 

Participants at the two-day Regional Teachers’ Policy Forum II, held by the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA), are also exploring and exchanging best educational practices. 

"The lack of attention to the profession and teachers in previous years are what led us to the current situation in the Arab world," said Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat, who opened the forum on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Rania. 

He noted that Arab teachers are "not in an enviable position today, especially since less than JD50 a year is spent on [each educator's] training, while their peers in advanced countries" receive regular training.

The minister painted a better picture of educators' situation locally, noting that their share of training did not exceed JD25 two years ago, while the budget allocated for teachers' training now surpasses what it used to be by tenfold. 

For his part, QRTA CEO Haif Bannayan underlined that the forum provides a platform for "elite" Arab and international academics to "crystallise" the recommendations of the Arab Programme on Teachers Policies and Professional Development, one of the projects that has been led by the academy for three years to develop a common Arab agenda for enhancing education.

The programme is part of the Arab Regional Agenda on Improving Education Quality, supported by the World Bank and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation to address issues related to education quality in the Arab world. 

The forum includes lectures, workshops and seminars that address teachers' training and educational policies.  

The Queen established QRTA in 2009 in partnership with Columbia University to advance education in Jordan and throughout the Middle East by providing teachers access to training, professional support, and the latest research on educational methods and policies. 

The academy offers ongoing professional development opportunities for educators and is supporting the creation of Jordan’s first formalised, comprehensive induction programme for newly hired teachers.