UK, UNICEF commit to inclusive education in Jordan with $8.1m grant

AMMAN — On the International Day of Education, the UK government and UNICEF reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring inclusive and equitable education opportunities for all children in Jordan. 

As part of this commitment, the UK government has announced a contribution of 6.4 million sterling pounds ($8.1 million) to support the provision of quality education for vulnerable children in Jordan, including Syrian refugee children, according to a UNICEF statement.

Jordan is home to around 300,000 registered Syrian refugee children, many of whom face significant barriers to accessing quality education mainly due to socio-economic challenges. 

This partnership is envisioned to enhance access to quality and inclusive education and support the Ministry of Education’s efforts to develop evidence-based policies and practices to prevent school dropout among vulnerable children.

UNICEF Representative to Jordan Philippe Duamelle said: "Today’s International Day of Education is a symbolic moment to mark this important partnership between the Ministry of Education, the UK, and UNICEF. 

Duamelle added that education is not just a fundamental right, it is the best investment for a peaceful and prosperous future.  

"We are grateful for this generous support from the UK government, and we remain committed to working in close partnership with the Ministry of Education to ensure that every child in Jordan learns to their full potential, in an inclusive learning environment,” he added.

British Ambassador to Jordan Philip Hall said: “Today we remind ourselves, if we need reminding, of the transformative power of education.Education is how everyone in society can better themselves.  

It speaks to one of the most basic aspirations of any parent: to equip their children to have the best possible opportunity in life, the ambassador added. 

"We all want all of our children to be as able and as equipped to make their way in the world as possible. Anyone excluded from education is less likely to be able to contribute fully to society - and is much more likely to disrupt it," the diplomat noted.  

"So it makes sense to educate all our children, including those with disabilities and others who tend to be excluded," he stressed.

Hall added that meeting the aspirations of parents for their children’s education is an enormous challenge in every country.

"So I’d like to thank the Minister, and through him the Government of Jordan, for all that Jordan does to educate everyone in Jordan. UNICEF provides vital support for children worldwide, and I’d like to thank UNICEF team for all that they do in Jordan, and especially for all that they do for refugee children," the ambassador said. 

"The UK partners with Jordan and UNICEF in many aspects of education.  Today we are committing to further funding to partner with both, in order to help ensure that refugee children in camps can access education,” he noted.

This funding will enable UNICEF to support over 36,000 vulnerable girls and boys, ensuring they can remain in school, said the statement.

Efforts will focus on improving access to safe and inclusive education by maintaining essential school operations, such as enhancing the schools’ infrastructure, funding key operational costs, providing transportation for children with disabilities and distributing assistive devices to those in need. 

Formal schools, non-formal education centres, and kindergarten facilities will benefit from this support, according to the statement.