Donors commit JD51 million at launch of 2nd phase of Accelerating Access to Education Initiative

AMMAN — The Ministry of Education on Thursday launched the second phase of the Accelerating Access to Education Initiative (AAI). 

Minister of Education Wajih Oais, during the ceremony, provided an update on the progress of the ministry’s plan for the AAI, commending the continuation of donors’ financial support for the 2021/2022 scholastic year.

Ambassadors and representatives of Australia, Canada, the EU, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US jointly made available up to JD51 million to cover a large proportion of the Ministry of Education’s requirements for the 2021/2022 school year.

Donors committed additional funding in the amount of: Australia JD1.6 million; Canada JD2.8 million; the EU JD12.4 million; Germany JD23 million in new commitments; Norway JD3.1 million; the UK JD4.4 million; the US JD03.5 million, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The focus of the second phase will be on increasing resources to expand Syrian and non-Syrian refugees and other vulnerable groups’ enrollment in non-formal education programmes.

It also seeks to increase resources for children with disabilities in public schools, teachers and students in schools serving Syrian students, including camps and double-shift schools.

Through the AAI, the ministry, with the support from donors, will provide quality public education to an estimated 144,000 Syrian refugee children and 18,000 non-Syrian children. 

The support will also help in training new teachers, financing salaries for teachers and administrative staff, opening additional double-shift schools, supporting inclusive education, purchasing school books, providing tuition fees and covering costs for operations, and equipment in these schools.