The UNESCO Amman office has been supporting the Ministry of Education (MoE) and provided a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop focused on the Open Education Management Information System (OpenEMIS). The training was generously funded by the Government of Kuwait.

Using instructor led training sessions, the master trainers have been divided into three groups: the Ministry’s Operational Department Staff (including the planning and educational research managing directorate, general education, human resources, education quality and accountability, cultural relationships and scholarships); Queen Rania Center (QRC) Staff; and nominated master trainers from both groups. Each MoE central master trainer is being tasked with delivering an area of the training, including specific activities listed in the operational manual within that area of training.

Organized at MoE, the intent of the training is to enhance the skills of central MoE staff in using the OpenEMIS Operational Manual, with the aim of ensuring the timely implementation of EMIS activities at all levels.

During the current training sessions, focus has been placed upon ensuring that the MoE master trainers in charge of the rollout of the plan to the field directorates and schools would have an in-depth and complete understanding of the Jordanian EMIS yearly work plan..

Since 2014, the MoE has made investments to strengthen OpenEMIS to serve as a centralized source of information for planning and monitoring results, particularly on access to formal education, with support from UNESCO. Through the EU-funded OpenEMIS project (2014-2017), the MoE has established the base towards overall accuracy and reliability of national education statistics. The project builds upon global UNESCO’s three-decades of global experience and commitment to strengthening national capacities of the Member States education systems through the provision of ‘up-stream’ services, technical and capacity support in the field of sector-wide policies and planning and management.

In addition, in Jordan, UNESCO has assisted the MoE in the development of an education-financing model and implemented a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based school mapping to better inform decision-making. Currently, a specialized training workshop is underway for MoE, focusing on the use of the Enhanced WebGIS Tool, with technical support provided by UNESCO with funding from the Government of Kuwait.

Based on the robust partnership with the Government of Canada and following the successful launch of the Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2018-2022, the UNESCO Amman Office is continuing to provide the additional technical assistance requested by MoE in Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, to equip MoE staff with the skills to be able to produce progress reports on the ESP.

In this context, with financial support from the Government of Canada, expertise will be provided for training sessions for MoE personnel in June and July 2018. The trainers will plan and deliver a series of custom tailored and high quality workshops to the nominated MoE personnel on improving the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting activities for ESP indicators.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that education is essential to the success of all 17 of its goals. Ambitions for education are primarily captured in SDG 4 which is dedicated to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and to promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. UNESCO, as the United Nations’ specialized agency for education, has been entrusted to lead and coordinate the Education 2030 Agenda along with its partners. The capacity development activities currently underway will work towards the realisation of Jordanian education ambitions into concrete benefits for all.