Education in Jordan
By:Bassam Amoush
Jordan Daily – I may have the right to address the issue of education for several reasons. Firstly, because I, along with my children and grandchildren, have experienced the Jordanian education system. Secondly, because I have worked in various educational institutions, including schools, community colleges, and universities, both government and private. Finally, because I believe that the educational trajectory requires dedicated attention and that is what I hope for.
I will not delve into history, but rather focus on the current reality. Back in 1999, during a meeting in the Council of Ministers, I asked a question: “Who among you has children in public schools?” Surprisingly, including myself, no one raised their hand. The reason behind this is the lack of confidence among officials in the quality of public education. Government schools are often perceived as lacking knowledge, ethics, and overall negative aspects, incapable of producing exceptional and creative individuals who could contribute to Jordan’s space exploration.
Every Jordanian, regardless of having children or not, pays university fees and the knowledge tax, only to find that the school and university systems are not up to their expectations. Jordanians are burdened by the cost of private education, just as taxes burden them. Recently, I visited private schools where fees ranged from four thousand to ten thousand Jordanian dinars, and I won’t even mention those that demand more, as I dare not approach them. So, what does a person with limited financial resources do for their children’s education? Despite this, parents must still take on the role of teachers at home, even though they are already paying for education through their salaries. Every official takes an oath to “serve the nation,” so can we perform a surgical operation on the education system, starting with rehabilitating schools to make them conducive to learning rather than feeling like prisons?
A nation that does not honor its teachers has no future. We must restore the position and status of teachers, which have been undermined by a previous government that deliberately forgot that a nation that fails to honor its teachers cannot progress. We have witnessed cases where individuals who were not entitled to a university education have climbed the ladder and even become presidents of universities, despite their limited high school performance.
Can we reconsider education taxes so that Jordanians can benefit from them in the future? Can we put an end to the monopolies and fiefdoms in education and strike a balance between the profit of investors and the welfare of the Jordanian people? We should not perpetuate class divisions in education because it contradicts the constitution, justice, and fairness.
We want investors to make a profit, but not excessively. We want freedom in education, but it must be linked to the needs of the job market, especially after the move to abolish the Service Bureau, which implies a lack of job opportunities, especially in well-known specializations.
I’m not bidding on officials, but I’m waiting for actions.
