Technical Assistance Programme for Education, Youth ministries launched

AMMAN — With the aim of building the technical and operational capacities of the Education and Youth ministries, the Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) was launched on Tuesday.

The programme is funded by USAID Jordan and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and the Ministry of Education, and Creative Associates International Inc.

The TAP will be implemented for a five-year period between 2021 and 2026 with a budget of $39.9 million, according to a USAID statement. 

The programme aims to build the capacity of ministry staff in technical areas such as Arabic, numeracy, science, English, as well as operational areas, according to a presentation during the launch event.  

The programme is expected to support the Ministry of Education in improving teaching practices, school leadership and management, as well as student learning outcomes. 

“The Technical Assistance Programme represents a key area of collaboration that enables the Government of Jordan to effectively lead and manage education and youth reforms,” USAID Deputy Mission Director Margaret Spears said during her opening remarks.

Spears added that the TAP will complement the direct financing of education and youth activities that USAID provides the Government of Jordan.

Youth Minister Mohammad Al Nabulsi said: “There’s a great partnership between the Ministry of Youth, the Ministry of Education and USAID.” 

Nabulsi also extended his thanks to USAID for their ongoing support to the government of Jordan.  

“The education sector and the youth sector complete each other,” Nawaf Ajarmeh, secretary general at the Education Ministry said during his remarks.

Ajarmeh said that the education sector might have been the sector most affected by the pandemic, noting that this “important programme” will enable the ministry to fill the educational gaps that occurred during online-learning.

Spears added that the TAP has provided assistance to administer a diagnostic study of Arabic literacy and mathematics to assess learning loss for students in grades four through six in early 2022. 

The findings of this study will be “instrumental”, as the Education Ministry works to address learning loss after prolonged COVID-19-related school closures, noted Spears. 

“With support from TAP, the Ministry of Youth recently established a monitoring and evaluation unit,” the statement added.

According to the statement, this unit will enhance evidence-based decision-making systems and improve the evaluation process of the ministry’s field programmes across 200 youth centres. 

The unit facilitates data exchange and communication internally and across field directorates and centres. It will also integrate key activities from the National Youth Strategy 2019-2025 to ensure proper and impactful implementation.

The youth minister, education ministry secretary general and the USAID deputy mission director reaffirmed their partnership and commitment to capacity building and improvising effective service delivery for children and youth throughout the Kingdom.