Education minister speaks on post-pandemic challenges at UN summit

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Education Minister Wajih Owais participated in the UN-hosted "Transforming Education Summit", which started on Monday night in New York City.

During the summit, Owais delivered the Kingdom's speech, which stressed Jordan's commitment under the framework of the response to the global post-pandemic education crisis, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister also stressed the Kingdom's commitment to addressing learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which negatively affected development and compounded challenges facing the education sector in Jordan.

Owais noted that the Learning Bridges programme, launched with support from UNICEF, has reached over half million students, including refugees, where the programme works to develop and accelerate students’ learning experience post pandemic.

He expressed the ministry's keenness to ensure teachers’ professional development before and during their career.

Owais noted that Jordan has received refugee students at public schools since the beginning of the refugee crisis, despite the Kingdom’s limited resources, to ensure that "no one is left behind", adding that the ministry had to adopt the two-shift system in public schools to avoid overcrowding in classes.

The minister also said that Jordan, in its efforts to maintain momentum towards realising Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals and other national plans, is willing to secure necessary, sustainable funding to meet the educational needs of the Kingdom and facilitate administrative processes.

He noted that the government is working to ensure coordination among the relevant ministries and enhance partnership with stakeholders, including the private sector and education development partners.

Owais said that the Kingdom's endeavours to address permanent issues, like the hosting of refugees, require more assistance from the international community, stressing that joint action can ensure that education spending is fair and effective.