EMV Workshops Assess Education Sector Progress Under Entrepreneurship, Innovation Driver

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 20 (Petra) – The second phase of Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) workshops continued Sunday at the Royal Hashemite Court, focusing on the education sector under the "Entrepreneurship and Innovation" economic driver, three years after the vision's launch.
Experts and education specialists highlighted the sector's central role in the vision, describing it as a cornerstone for human capital development and key to preparing a workforce that meets evolving labor market demands, thereby contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Participants reviewed the foundations laid during the first phase across sub-sectors such as early childhood development, basic and secondary education, higher education, and vocational and technical education and training (TVET). They evaluated strengths, challenges, success factors, and achievements to date.
Key achievements included updated early childhood curricula, streamlined licensing procedures for service providers, reforms to the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi), the establishment of new schools, and the founding of Ibn Sina Medical University. In TVET, new disciplines were introduced, and technical education tracks were launched for students beyond the ninth grade.
Significant accomplishments from phase one also included modernizing education legislation in alignment with the rights of persons with disabilities, providing an advanced kindergarten curriculum, implementing a flexible licensing system for early childhood institutions, expanding enrollment of children under four, and initiating academic program accreditation standards aligned with international best practices. A national TVET strategy was developed, with over 79,000 beneficiaries receiving career guidance. Two new vocational specialties were added under the BTEC program.
Based on the phase-one evaluation, the framework and priorities for phase two were established.
Former Minister of Education Tayseer Al-Nuaimi told Petra that discussions during the workshop assessed the extent to which phase-one priorities and initiatives were implemented. He noted a strong institutional review process and emphasized the importance of royal follow-up in ensuring the vision's alignment with economic growth and improved livelihoods, recognizing it as a long-term national agenda that transcends governments.
President of Al-Hussein Technical University, Ismail Al-Hinti, said the past period witnessed notable developments in technical and vocational education, emphasizing the need to reassess challenges and build on the vision's early successes. He stressed the importance of educational pathways that address both academic and practical skillsets required by today's diverse labor market.
Former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Labib Khadra described the workshop discussions as fruitful, addressing opportunities and obstacles in all levels of education, from preschools to universities. He urged that phase two prioritize assessing the real impact of initiatives on citizens and communities.

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