Government Communication Forum calls for educational advancements, addresses Jordan's performance in international assessments

AMMAN — Participants in the inaugural sessions of the Government Communication Forum, organised by the Ministry of Government Communication, on Monday stressed the need for advance the education sector. 

The forum, aimed to address key challenges facing the sector and discuss Jordan's performance in international assessments, was attended by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Azmi Mahafzah, Minister of Government Communications Muhannad Mubaidin, and President of the National Centre for Human Resources Development (NCHRD) Abdullah Ababneh, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Mahafzah highlighted the Ministry's initiatives to reform and develop the education landscape in Jordan. These initiatives include programs for the development and qualification of teachers, both pre and in-service, as well as measures to reduce classroom overcrowding in various schools across the Kingdom. 

Minister of Government Communications Muhannad Mubaidin also highlighted the forum’s role as a platform for officials and experts to discuss public issues and topics of general interest. 

President of the National Centre for Human Resources Development (NCHRD) Abdullah Ababneh presented the results of examinations in the subjects in which Jordan participated, revealing a decline in the average performance of students in 58 countries, including Jordan, in the field of mathematics, compared with the results recorded in 2018, which featured the participation of 73 countries. The average performance of Jordanian students registered at 361 points, showing a decrease of 39 points compared with 2018, he added. 

Highlighting the NCHRD’s ongoing efforts toward preparing a comprehensive report on student performance, he said that the report will include an in-depth analysis aimed at identifying the factors that contributed to the decline in the three subjects. In response to these findings, a policy memorandum will be presented to the Minister of Education and the relevant education authorities, he said.

Recognised as one of the most comprehensive international assessments, this edition of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) saw the participation of 81 countries and education systems around the world. Around 690,000 fifteen-year-old students worldwide took the exam, including 8,500 students from Jordan.