The Education System
Higher Education
Education in Jordan: A Commitment to Excellence
Labor
Jordanian Youth Organization

Jordan is a relatively young country that places great emphasis on education. Out of a population of 4.2 million, approximately 1.3 million Jordanians, nearly one-third of the entire population, are students.

The Education System

After the nursery and kindergarten years, the education system in Jordan comprises a 12-year comprehensive program divided into two cycles: basic and secondary.

The basic cycle runs from grades 1-10 and is free and compulsory for all Jordanians. At the end of grade 10, the grades of each student for the previous three years (8th, 9th, and 10th) are calculated to determine in which secondary stream that student can continue. Usually, the student’s wishes are taken into account, but the final decision rests with the Ministry of Education.The secondary cycle of two years is divided into two main streams. The first is the comprehensive secondary education stream that ends with a general secondary education examination, the Tawjihi, and consists of a common core curriculum and optional specialized academic or vocational courses. The second is the applied secondary educational stream, which consists of specialized vocational courses; these prepare skilled labor through apprenticeship programs run by the Vocational Training Corporation or the Ministry of Education.

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Higher Education

Jordan’s community colleges offer specialized two- or three-year programs in various areas of study. All community college students have to pass a comprehensive government exam at the end of their studies.Community colleges tend to offer practical education geared towards professions such as education, commerce, computer studies, medicine, pharmacology, hotel management, interior design, social work, nursing, and midwifery.

Five public universities, one public four-year university and twelve private universities offer university education in Jordan.

Universities in Jordan

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Education in Jordan: A Commitment to Excellence

The development of Jordan’s educational system can only be described as dramatic. Starting from almost nothing in the early 1920s, Jordan has forged a comprehensive, high-quality system to develop the human capital of its citizens. Every village and community with 10 or more school-going children is provided with a school, enabling citizens in poor and remote areas to gain access to education. Education is free for all primary and secondary school students, and compulsory for all Jordanian children through the age of fifteen. It is proved that Jordan has achieved over 95 percent enrollment for its school age children.Jordan’s policy of favoring spending on basic education over higher education has facilitated the country’s goal of universal enrollment and has boosted literacy levels throughout the general population. The kingdom’s education record has proven impressive by international standards, and results from the foresight of the country’s leadership, who saw and continue to see the need to focus on building the country’s human capital to meet the challenges of the future.

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Labor

Jordan has a complex labor market that simultaneously exports and imports labor. Forty-two percent of the country’s population is under 15 years of age. While Jordan has been as exporter of skilled labor to other Arab countries, notably to the oil-rich Gulf area, foreign labor has a high turnover rate because much of it is involved in seasonal work. This is especially true for Arab workers from neighboring countries such as Syria and Egypt, whose nationals are exempted from residence permits. Unemployment is a major problem that faces consecutive Jordanian governments. It is now at its highest level.

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Arab Women Organizations
Website: www.awo.org.jo

Builders of the Future Forum
Email: buildersfuture94@yahoo.com

El Hassan Youth Award
Website: www.hyaward.org.jo

Family Guidance and Awareness Center
Website: www.ngoglobalforum.org

Haya Cultrual Center
Website: www.hayacenter.qtech.com.jo

Information and Research Center – King Hussein Foundation (IRC/KHF)– Email: indesk@irckhf.org.jo

The Jordanian Hashemite fund for Human Development
Website: www.johud.org
Email: johud@nic.net.jo

Jordanian Women Union
Email: jwu@go.com.jo

Mizan Law Group
Email: mizan@nets.jo

National Centre For Human Resources Development
Website: www.nchrd.gov.jo
Email: hrd@nchrd.gov.jo

Noor Al Hussein Foundation
Website: www.nooralhusseinfoundation.org
Email: nhf@nic.net.jo

Princess Basma Youth Resource Center
Website: www.zenid.org.jo
Email: info@zenid.org.jo

SOS Children’s Village Association of Jordan
Website: www.sosjor.org
Email: sosjor@nets.com.jo

The Young Entrepreneurs Association
Website: www.yea.com.jo
Email: yea@nol.com.jo

Young Women Christian Association
Email: ywcanat@go.com.jo