Inclusive Development Begins with High-Quality Education

Equipping Jordan’s public schools for the 21st century

Students during a physical education class in USAID-funded Dhahr Al-Sarou Secondary School for Girls in Jerash. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

Schools are not just places where students go to learn; they are safe spaces where children blossom, imagine their futures, and find their voices.

So when she joined the Khadija Bint Khuwaylid School as its principal, Rana Al-Amaireh immediately saw the potential that the USAID-funded school had in raising the bar for public education.

Rana Al-Amaireh, principal of USAID-funded Khadija Bint Khuwaylid School in Tafilah. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

“Safe, stimulating teaching environments motivate teachers to give their lessons comfortably and use all the tools available, which in turn provides students with an attractive learning environment,” says the educator who is no stranger to the challenges that public schools face when it comes to space and facilities thanks to her 23-year career as a teacher and administrator with the Ministry of Education.

USAID is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, physical abilities, or financial situation, has access to high-quality teachers, learning materials and fully equipped educational institutions with gyms, libraries, and computer labs.

Students thrive in the state-of-the-art computer labs at a USAID-funded school in Jerash./ Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

USAID and Jordan’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Works and Housing have partnered to build, expand, and rehabilitate schools in underserved areas throughout Jordan to reduce overcrowding and ensure that teachers and students, including those with disabilities, have access to safe and well-designed spaces that promote students’ learning.

Access to technology is also a challenge for students in Jordan. More than 16 percent of students in Jordan lack internet access, while one-third do not have computers at home.

Educators say that access to information and communications technology (ICT) resources in schools improves education outcomes, which is why all USAID-funded schools are outfitted with computer labs and student-centered learning technologies. Now educators teaching at schools constructed with USAID funding are able to integrate technology-based activities into their lessons and prepare students for 21st century jobs.

Students learning through theory and practice at fully-equipped chemistry lab in USAID-funded Khadija Bint Khuwaylid School in Tafilah. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

USAID’s commitment to high-quality education also relies on an integrated approach to improving education outcomes. For example, USAID works hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Education to strengthen Arabic reading and math performance in early grades, as foundational numeracy and literacy are essential to students’ continuing academic success. USAID also works with the ministry to prepare new teachers to enter the classroom, and to create a sense of ownership and accountability by encouraging parental and community engagement in public schools.

Additionally, USAID supports students along their entire education journey by working with the Ministry of Education to improve teaching practices, school leadership and management, and student learning outcomes in foundational subjects, including Arabic, mathematics, science, and English in grades 4 to 11.

Students learning the principles of physics through play during science class at USAID-funded Dhahr Al-Sarou Secondary School for Girls in Jerash. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

Students, teachers, and the school counselor at schools constructed under USAID activities benefit from purpose-built labs, inviting meeting spaces, and inclusive technologies like whiteboards, projectors, and laptops. The facilities have accessible bathrooms, hallways, and ramps which help all students, including those with disabilities.

Since 2007, USAID has helped build, rehabilitate, and expand 385 schools in Jordan — including 322 kindergarten classrooms. This work, conducted in conjunction with teacher training and curriculum reform, reduces overcrowding in the classroom, advances accessibility for students with disabilities, and provides safe classroom environments that improves student learning.

Principal Rana Al-Amaireh, (seated) with Education Counselor Maysaa’ Rabab’ah discussing class schedules. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

School Counselor Maysaa’ Rabab’ah says that “thanks to the technology and facilities made available with USAID’s support, I’m able to hold one-on-one counseling sessions with students who struggle with serious problems, as well as group sessions for those who share the same challenges, such as bullying or poor academic performance.

“I’ve also been conducting meetings with mothers, both on an individual and group basis, to explore the reasons behind the difficulties that the students face.”

The best news is that Maysaa’s efforts are making a difference in the students’ learning outcomes.

In the most recent assessments, 65 to 70 percent of students have shown improvements in all subjects. This, Maysaa’ says, can be partially attributed to her rigorous follow up with students, teachers, and parents to ensure that each student’s unique weaknesses are being addressed effectively through customized remedial solutions that are implemented both at home and in the classroom, and partially to the dedicated facilities that have been made available by USAID.

These include the speech therapy room where students with speech impediments or dyslexia have all the tools and support needed to overcome their challenges; separate physics, chemistry, and computer labs where students are able to learn through hands-on practice; and the adoption of smartboards in the classrooms, which have proven to be more effective in student learning than traditional blackboards due to their interactivity and versatility.

“We’ve seen incredible results since we’ve opened our doors in September 2022, so we anticipate even greater success by next year,” Maysaa’ said.

Student during physical education class at USAID-funded Dhahr Al-Sarou Secondary School for Girls in Jerash. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

While reading comprehension declined for students in grades two and three during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are promising signs of recovery. A 2022 national early grade assessment by the Ministry revealed a 10 percent increase in reading comprehension for second and third-grade students since 2021.

At another USAID-funded institution, the Dhahr Al-Sarou Secondary School for Girls in Jerash, 11th grader Shayma Abu Al-Shabab has noticed the changes.

“There are so many aspects that make this school different,” she says. From the high-tech tools we use here, such as the smart boards, to how we are treated by our teachers. It’s just advanced overall. For example, the library here has a wealth of books that cover a large variety of subjects, from science to history and others, giving us a well-rounded knowledge base.”

Shayma Abu Al-Shabab, an 11th grade literary stream student at USAID-funded Dhahr Al-Sarou Secondary School for Girls in Jerash, in her school’s library. / Ghassan Nazmi for USAID

About the Authors

Mai Al Refai is a DOC specialist and Lexy Boudreau is the Program Management Coordinator at USAID’s Mission in Jordan.