Learning hubs launch in community centres throughout Jordan

AMMAN — As part of its education strategy, the UNHCR, in collaboration with Learning Equality and with funding from Google.org, recently announced it was launching 10 learning hubs in community centres throughout the Kingdom.

The hubs will mix traditional classrooms with aspects of e-learning to offer advanced courses for both refugee youth and Jordanians aged 13-17 years old, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

The hubs will provide a resource for youth to access additional learning support focused on subjects such as STEM, Arabic, English, life skills and coding.

Based on the Kolibri ecosystem, which brings online learning to offline communities, each learning hub will be equipped with laptops and tablets to supply approximately 40 students daily with access to digital learning resources.

Kolibri provides digital materials and information, such as lesson plans, assessment tools, books and games, catering to a wide range of ages and abilities, the statement said.

In addition, as an open-source platform, Kolibri allows its users to create customised educational content. In this regard, the UNHCR will work with Learning Equality to align content on the Kolibri platform with Jordan’s national curriculum to help refugee students integrate their learning at the hubs with what they are studying within the formal educational system, the statement added.

“Access to technology, combined with quality digital resources and in-person support, can change the trajectory of a young person’s education. We’re excited to support the UNHCR and Learning Equality’s efforts to make sure those benefits reach students of all backgrounds in Jordan,” said Nick Cain, manager at Google.org.

Over the past few months, 43 coaches and coordinators, many of them refugees themselves, have undergone training to help them facilitate the needs of students, and a key objective of the hubs will be to encourage both girls’ education and those with special needs, according to the statement.

Commenting on the launch of the hubs, UNHCR Assistant Representative Alia Khatar-Williams said the “collaboration with Google.org and Learning Equality, along with the launch of the learning hubs, will be an important way to ensure that refugee youth are able to get more educational support at a community level”.