German development assistance worth 95m euros to support education, sanitation sectors

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan on Tuesday signed three financing agreements with the representative of the KfW Development Bank Office in Jordan Meike Reils.

The agreements included two grants of 35 million euros to contribute to financing the education sector’s needs for digital transformation, and a concessional loan of 60 million euros to support the needs of the sanitation sector, according to a ministry statement.

Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Azmi Mahafzah and German Ambassador to Amman Bertram von Moltke attended the signing ceremony.

The first grant, which is worth 20 million euros will contribute to financing the digital transformation programme for vocational education by equipping computer rooms to provide vocational education with digital technology, equipping vocational education schools with the necessary digital network equipment, and equipping the central administrative units in the Ministry of Education with information technology equipment.

The second grant, which is worth 15 million euros, will contribute to financing the second phase of the Programme for Improving Quality in Basic Education (Digitalisation), by equipping computer labs, classrooms, and digital workstations in primary schools.

The second grant will also contribute to equipping many secondary school examination (tawjihi) centres with digital technology, including computers and the necessary digital network equipment. 

The concessional loan was allocated to finance a programme titled “Sustainable disposal of wastewater,” to support the government's efforts to improve sanitation services in various locations to expand the scope of collection and treatment processes of central wastewater.

The loan would also contribute to environmental protection and climate change adaptation, the statement said. 

The anticipated measures of the project aim to increase the access for Jordanian population to a centralised wastewater system and reduce negative impacts on the environment and public health. 

The project also supports expanding the use of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and efficient management of water resources in the future, according to the statement.

This finance is provided to support the priorities of the education and water sectors in the Kingdom within the executive programme of the Economic Modernisation Vision for the years (2023-2025).

The two education projects contribute to achieving the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (quality education), and the sustainable disposal of wastewater programme will contribute to preserving groundwater from pollution and improving the infrastructure for sanitation services, the statement said.

During the signing ceremony, Toukan expressed appreciation of the government to the German government for its continuous support to Jordan as one of the most important development partners over the years, especially in the education, water and sanitation sectors. 

The minister noted that Germany is one of the most important development supporters of the water and sanitation sector in Jordan through its financial and technical support.

Mahafzah praised the efforts of the German side in providing support that will effectively contribute to supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Education towards digital transformation. 

He pointed out that this support will assist in equipping computer rooms and labs in primary schools with an amount of 15 million euros, and in vocational schools with an amount of 20 million euros over the next four years, expecting this support to bring about a significant change in the digitalisation process of education.

The German ambassador said that through the agreements, Germany will provide modern digital equipment in primary, technical, and vocational schools, which will contribute to providing high-quality education for Jordanian students and preparing them well for the labour market, according to the statement.