World Bank allocates USD400million to modernize education in Jordan

(MENAFN) The World bank has granted official approval to fund Jordan's Education, Skills, and Management Reform Modernization Process (Masar) project. This decision follows a presentation to the Bank's Board of Directors, highlighting the project's significance.

The Masar project, with a total estimated cost of around $400 million, will be financed primarily through a $393 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), supplemented by a $7 million concessional financing facility (GFF). The project has been meticulously studied over recent months and aims to improve access to basic education, enhance technical and vocational training relevant to the labor market, and increase the overall efficiency of the education sector's management.

Scheduled to be implemented over five years (2024-2029), the Masar project aligns with Jordan's broader education sector reform plans, part of the Vision of Economic Modernization and the Public Sector Modernization Plan. The World Bank highlighted that these modernization initiatives have identified several key challenges and priorities within the education sector. These include increasing access to and the quality of educational services, especially at crucial transition points such as the shift from home to school and school to work, as well as promoting equitable access to early childhood and vocational education.

A significant concern addressed by the project is the high rate of learning poverty in Jordan, with 58 percent
of 10-year-olds lacking basic skills or being out of school. The project aims to improve the internal efficiency of the education system, reducing dropout rates and increasing secondary school completion rates. Additionally, it seeks to enhance the system's external efficiency, improving labor market outcomes, particularly for young people and women.

To address these educational challenges, the Masar project encompasses an ambitious plan under the "Smart Jordan" growth pillar. This plan focuses on developing local talent to meet future skills needs. The project will target seven areas identified by the Modernization Vision: Early Childhood Care for children under nine, Basic Education (Primary and Secondary), Higher Education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Research, Development and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Data. Cross-cutting areas such as digitalization, governance, and the legal environment will also be crucial to supporting these reforms.

During the project's study phase, the World Bank emphasized its commitment to achieving results that enhance the efficiency of the reforms under the "Smart Jordan" growth pillar. Specifically, the project will address barriers at key transition points, such as the move from home to school and from school to work, supporting critical success factors at each stage of the educational cycle. This holistic approach aims to ensure substantial improvements in Jordan's education system, ultimately preparing the nation for future challenges and opportunities.

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