Jordan Times
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
US grants to support
improvements in health, education services
By Hani Hazaimeh
AMMAN - The US will provide a total of $99.69 million to help the Kingdom spur
economic growth and improve basic health and education services throughout the
country.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali signed the two
grant agreements with American Ambassador David Hale and USAID Mission Director
Jay Knott on Monday.
The agreements constitute the final batch of the overall US assistance package
to Jordan for the fiscal year 2007, which totals $255.30 million in economic
assistance and $276.80 million in security–related assistance.
In remarks during the signing ceremony, Hale reiterated the US government’s
commitment to support Jordan’s sustainable economic and social development.
“We are proud to provide such support, which is in line with King Abdullah’s
vision for a better life for all Jordanians and equal opportunities for all,” he
said.
The first grant, valued $58.8 million, will support improvements in the health
and education sectors, including the construction of new schools across the
Kingdom, as well as enhancing health services in public hospitals, according to
Al-Ali.
Around $30 million will allocated for the construction of 30 schools, renovation
of another 100 schools and equipping some 190 kindergarten classes in poor and
underserved areas, with around $700,000 earmarked for the design of these
facilities, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and
Scientific Research Khalid Touqan said.
He added that the ministry will spend $7.76 million to improve healthcare at
schools.
Around $20.3 million of the first grant (including $2.3 million in supplemental
funds) will be provided to improve safe delivery services for mothers and their
newborn babies in 24 of the Kingdom’s 30 public hospitals.
This will be part of a larger effort to strengthen primary and reproductive
health services in all public health clinics and hospitals, encouraging family
planning and promoting healthy lifestyles.
The grant will improve secondary school education by providing young people with
the skills needed to compete in the job market, developing innovative e-learning
programmes, training teachers, and establishing a standards and accreditation
system, according to Touqan.
Under the second grant agreement, the US will provide $40.9 million to spur
trade, increase investment, and create job opportunities in an effort to tackle
unemployment.
The grant will promote economic growth by supporting activities that encourage
the private sector to seize opportunities presented by trade liberalisation
agreements, provide business development services to small and medium-sized
enterprises, and develop the tourism industry.