UNESCO, Korea donate 166 laptops for vulnerable Jordanian, Syrian students

AMMAN — As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the education sector, many disadvantaged children and youth struggle to continue learning as lessons go online. 

In order to minimise learning disruption and to ensure equitable continuity of learning, 166 Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youth enrolled in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) training courses, within the framework of UNESCO’s ongoing project funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea, where they received laptops and Internet subscriptions, according to a statement from the UN agency. 

The project “Provision of TVET, On-the-Job Training and Entrepreneurship Education to Youth Affected by the Syria Crisis in Jordan”, implemented in partnership with Luminus Technical University College (LTUC), is enabling 92 Jordanians and 74 Syrians, including 92 female students, to study in three disciplines: Business, Creative Media Production, and Information Technology.

The internationally accredited TVET programmes, which combine practical learning with subject and theory content, provide students the opportunity to complete an eight-month course in their respective fields of study, followed by a one-month on-the-job training to reinforce the knowledge and skills they acquired. 

While visiting the students at LTUC Amman campus, UNESCO Representative to Jordan Min Jeong Kim stressed the importance of this donation to ensure the continuity of learning through mixed approaches, combining face-to-face and e-learning. 

She stated that the remote learning approach also contributes to enhancing students’ digital skills, which are critical for the labour market. 

Kim highlighted the importance of the partnership with the Government of Korea in improving the employability prospects of young men and women affected by the Syria crisis in Jordan.  

Ambassador Lee Jae-wan emphasised that the Korean government is keen to help the continuity of education for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian students amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic through supporting TVET training courses. 

He hoped that the laptops and Internet access will support their access to learning and help them graduate with enhanced skills and abilities. 

Students who benefited from the donation expressed their thanks and gratitude to UNESCO and the Government of Korea. They explained that the laptops did not just facilitate their current studies and enhance their digital and research skills, but that they will also be crucial after they complete their courses and graduate. They noted how they can use the laptops to work as freelancers or on their own business projects. 

Ibrahim Janseez, a Syrian student enrolled in the business course, shared that receiving the laptop has helped him study and gives him the opportunity to be more creative in his efforts to start a new business after the training programme is over. 

Hayat Al Dos, a Jordanian student in information technology, shared that “after receiving the laptop, I started to study for longer hours and got higher grades and could search for job opportunities to support myself financially”.  

Phase IV of the UNESCO training programme supports the ongoing efforts of the Government of Jordan to integrate e-learning into education system and is fully aligned with national policies and strategies such as the National Youth Strategy (2019-2025), Jordan Vision 2025, Jordan Response Plan for the Syria Crisis (JRP) (2020-2022), and Jordan Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS) (2016-2025). 

A total of 761 students (440 Syrians, 321 Jordanians) have benefitted from the project since its inception in 2016, with the majority finding employment opportunities.