Jordan: Education Policy in Transition

As the education sector in Jordan moves from a humanitarian to a development response, a lack of planning for an appropriate transition risks excluding some groups of learners. Specifically, the response has narrowed from “children, adolescents and youth” to schoolchildren, and now excludes informal and other forms of vocational education. The author argues that it is those children who are outside the system that are the most vulnerable: children who remain outside the system because of poverty, largely adolescents and vulnerable Jordanians; and those who are pursuing certified non-formal education programs. What is needed is: clear, comprehensive transitional frameworks and a common narrative; consultation with a broad range of stakeholders; clarity of roles and responsibilities; and dedication of sufficient resources and capacity development.