Jordan ‘left behind’ on Global Knowledge Index 2021

AMMAN — Jordan ranks 103rd globally and 11th regionally in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2021. 

The GKI is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF).

The GKI covered 154 countries and 232 indicators with the aim of narrowing the gap between knowledge sectors, according to the index.

Jordan is a modest performer in terms of its knowledge infrastructure, ranking 103rd out of 154 countries in 2021 and 35th out of 39 countries with high human development, according to the index. 

Globally, Switzerland tops the ranking, with Sweden ranked second, followed by the US, Finland and the Netherlands respectively.

Regionally, the UAE was ranked first, Qatar second followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman respectively. The GKI highlighted the performance of six vital sectors. 

Jordan ranked 105th globally in terms of pre-university education and 112th with regard to technical and vocational education and training.  “The higher education ranking for Jordan was 125,” read the report. 

Meanwhile, research development and innovation in the Kingdom ranked 95 with information and communication technology at 92, the economy at 77 and Jordan’s enabling environment at 98. 

The Kingdom’s overall score stood at 42.5, lower than the global average of 48.4, the index added. 

“Net enrolment rate in primary education stood at 134 globally,” the study added; Jordan’s overall enrolment rate stood at 130. 

However, Sa’eed Madadha, the former director of the education directorate, said: “I believe that Jordan is and will always be a pioneering country in education.”

Madadha highlighted that the law in Jordan insists upon primary and secondary school enrolment for children and young people. “We have thousands of schools, in addition to millions of students in our schools,” he added.  

“The pandemic has affected the education system negatively throughout Jordan and worldwide,” Madadha noted. 

“The education system in the Kingdom was not prepared for such a shift in education,” he explained, with the traditional in-person teaching method shifting towards a digitalised teaching approach. 

At the beginning of the shift to online learning, teachers at both schools and universities lacked the skills and tools needed for online lessons, he said. 

Students, alongside universities and schools were missing the essential equipment for distance learning. “I personally believe that this is the reason why the Kingdom is “left behind” on this index,” Madadha said.