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AMMAN — The Electricity Distribution Company (EDCO) on Wednesday announced that it will be open on Thursday between 7:30am and 4pm. EDCO made the decision to enable subscribers to pay their bills and visit its service offices in Aqaba, Maan, Karak, Tafileh, the Jordan Valley, Azraq, Safawi and Ruweished, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN — The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) on Wednesday signed financial agreements worth 648,000 euros with 14 companies selected in the programme to support industrial enterprises and develop exports.

JEDCO CEO Hana Uraidi attended the ceremony, a JEDCO statement said. The winning companies are implementing micro-projects in handicrafts and also include newly established enterprises in of Ajloun, Balqa, Irbid, Madaba, Tafileh and Zarqa, the statement added.

AMMAN — Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Khaled Kalaldeh on Tuesday stressed that Jordanians will accept a civil democratic state that safeguards the rights of its citizens and guarantees equal services, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Kalaldeh made his remarks during a panel discussion on the 2015 draft elections law, organised by the Jordanian Political Club in cooperation with the Great Arab Revolt Club, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister said Jordan is currently moving towards becoming a civil democratic country. Answering questions on the draft law, Kalaldeh said the government’s technical committee reviewed 118 election systems in the world during a year-and-a-half before preparing it.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday underscored the unity and solidarity of the Jordanian people, noting that Jordanians, Muslims and Christians, constitute one family and are a source of pride for the Kingdom. 

At a meeting with Christian religious leaders and key figures at Al Husseiniya Palace on the occasion of Christmas, the King said there are those who fear the challenges that face the region while "we have no fears, concerning Jordan, as the Jordanian family, Muslims and Christians, stand side-by-side, and are not worried about their future”. 

The meeting was attended by HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s personal envoy and adviser for religious and cultural affairs.  

King Abdullah asserted the historic role of Arab Christians in the Middle East, noting that they are an inherent part of Jordan’s past, present and future, according to a Royal Court statement. 

"We should be proud of this," the King said, noting that defending Islamic and Christian sites is a historic, religious and political obligation.  

King Abdullah expressed his best wishes to all Christians on Christmas and the New Year. 

In remarks by Theophilos III, patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine, delivered on his behalf by Father Issa Misleh, the Jerusalem-based Orthodox patriarch stressed the importance of the King's custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the holy city of Jerusalem. 

He pointed out that the clergymen came from Jerusalem to express their allegiance to King Abdullah, as the custodian of the Christian sites there.

The patriarch noted that Christmas this year coincides with the celebration of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday so that Muslims and Christians may exchange congratulations on the birthdays of the “prophets of peace”. 

Several other clergymen, including Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of the holy land and Jordan, expressed their appreciation of the King’s efforts to preserve the sites and to ensure worshippers’ access to them.  

They also extended their congratulations to King Abdullah on Prophet Mohammad’s birthday and on Christmas, lauding his positions and efforts to disseminate peace and love worldwide.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday attended a ceremony held by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs at the Royal Cultural Centre to mark Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, according to a Royal Court statement. 

The event was attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, several Royal family members, and senior officials and officers.

Awqaf Minister Hayel Dawood said Prophet Mohammad called for promoting the values of peace and tolerance and denouncing all forms of extremism and radicalism.

Dawood highlighted His Majesty’s role in defending Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and in supporting the Jerusalemites’ resilience. 

The minister also highlighted the symbolism in the co-occurrence of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday and Christmas for this year. 

In an address to the nation the night before, the King urged both Muslims and Christians to embrace values shared by both faiths, particularly tolerance and compassion. 

The awqaf minister stressed that terrorists seek to destroy such values inherent in Islam and Christianity, through committing crimes in the name of religion. 

On the occasion of Prophet’s birthday, marked on Rabi I 12 on the Islamic lunar calendar, King Abdullah and the Crown Prince received cables of congratulations from senior officials, including Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and the Council of Ministers and Arab leaders.  

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday stressed the importance of cooperation between legislatures in enhancing bilateral relations between Jordan and Japan.

During a meeting with a visiting Japanese delegation representing the Jordanian-Japanese Parliamentary Friendship Committee, His Majesty voiced Jordan's keenness on bettering its ties with Japan, expressing appreciation for Tokyo's support of the Kingdom's developmental projects and humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees, a Royal Court statement said.

The two sides also discussed the latest regional and international developments and the need for intensified efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis and address the danger of terror and radicalisation via a comprehensive approach. 

Also on Wednesday, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh met with the Japanese delegates over bilateral ties and regional developments.

During the meeting, Tarawneh said that Jordan was among the leading countries to declare war against terror and diagnose the danger of radical organisations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Tarawneh also said that Jordan’s position on Syria has been clear and unaltered since the beginning of the crisis, advocating a comprehensive political solution that can bring an end to the ongoing civil war and end the large-scale suffering of the Syrian people.

He also reiterated that finding a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the key to solving the region’s problems, Petra reported.

For his part, the head of the Japanese delegation expressed thanks to Jordan for its help in the tragedy of the Japanese hostages murdered by the Daesh terrorist organisation last year, extending Japan’s condolences to the family of Pilot Muath Kasasbeh who was murdered by the ultra-radical group. 

On Wednesday, the Japanese delegation discussed with members of the Jordanian-Japanese friendship committee at the Lower House and the Senate bilateral ties and regional developments as well as the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan, Petra reported. 

Also on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with the members of the Jordanian-Japanese Parliamentary Friendship Committee. 

Discussions focused on the ongoing Jordanian-Japanese cooperation and means to strengthen it. 

The two sides also discussed regional developments.  

AMMAN — School curricula should promote mind-provoking activities in order to enhance creativity and deepen coexistence, according to field experts.

Educators and academic experts said young generations need critical thinking skills "more than ever" to cope with developments in the region and the world. 

Thoqan Obeidat, an educational expert and former secretary general at the Ministry of Education, said national school curricula, despite repeated reviews and edits, "limit" students' thinking and promote stereotypical thinking.

"In a single text book the phrase 'the student commits' is repeated over 100 times, while the phrases 'the student chooses' and 'the student discusses' are only mentioned twice," he explained to The Jordan Times in a recent phone interview.

At a time when textbooks are required to engage students and advance their critical thinking skills, "there is nothing in our curricula that attracts students' attention,” Obeidat said.

He noted that subjects like music and arts are not put into practice, despite their importance in building students' characters, and students do not learn a thing on logic and philosophy.

"Logic is an entry to philosophy, a subject that widens people's horizons," Obeidat said, stressing that philosophy is a key subject to develop students' thought process. 

Not only do school textbooks lack material that encourages creativity and critical thinking, they also lack "inclusive values that encourage respecting others with different points of view", according to former deputy prime minister Marwan Muasher.

He criticised the absence of an overall education strategy that develops citizens rather than people who passively receive information without questioning, adding that textbooks are not generally taught in a manner that encourages students to ask questions.

Enriching school curricula with content on philosophy and art enhances students' knowledge and instils positive value in their minds, Muasher, a former foreign minister, said.

"Those who say that the education system has other priorities [than arts] totally miss the point," he said, highlighting the role of arts in creating a generation that respects others. 

Education expert Hosni Ayesh underscored a lack in qualified teachers who encourage students to speak their minds and express their views freely, and avoid didactic teaching styles.

Another challenge lies in the fact that not the best students become teachers and those who are good at teaching usually do not stay in this career, Ayesh added.

He cited rationalism, secular democracy, citizenship, human rights and knowledge as common factors among advanced nations, adding that such ideals are "the only way for the nation to move forward".

"The challenges and dangers our region is facing collectively and independently require a different form of education and a different type of teachers who educate different types of students," Ayesh said.

On the other hand, Omar Miqdadi, head of the ministry's curricula department, said promoting critical thinking is one of the ministry's strategies that reflects in school curricula for all stages, but the problem is in teachers' implementation.

"There is not enough training for teachers on how to employ these kinds of activities," he told The Jordan Times in a phone interview on Wednesday, adding that the ministry has recently developed a strategy to follow up on the in-class performance of teachers and offer them capacity-building training programmes.

Miqdadi noted that the ministry has recently included a drama course for grades four to six, and is working on developing a similar course for grades seven to 10.

"The theatre course seeks to hone students' skills and to improve their psychological and social awareness," he said, adding that physical exercise periods have been raised to two per week.

While Muasher said enhancing the quality of education should be the top priority of future governments, Obeidat called for creating a national commission with members from across the social and cultural spectrum in Jordan to oversee the preparation of school curricula.

AMMAN — The decrease in prices of oil derivatives on the international market in the first 20 days of December could lead to lowering local fuel prices by 2 to 8 per cent, a government source said Tuesday.

It is “impossible” to accurately identify the rate of increase or decrease until 30 days ahead of the announcement of the new prices, the source told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on condition of anonymity.

The price of liquefied gas has increased since the beginning of December by 10.9 per cent, compared with the November price, which suggests that the actual cost of gas cylinders would exceed JD8 in January, the source added.

But he added that earlier this month, the Lower House and the government reached an agreement to keep the price of gas cylinders at JD7 until next March.

A government pricing committee meets monthly to adjust fuel prices in a manner that corresponds to changes in oil prices on the international market.

The Lower House Energy Committee on Monday asked the government to come up with a new pricing mechanism for fuel products, accusing it of overcharging consumers.

Head of the committee, MP Raed Khalaileh, told The Jordan Times that the government adds around $43 to the cost of each imported oil barrel before it starts calculating the final price for end users.

For example, he explained, if the price of oil globally is $40 a barrel, the government would add $43 and make it $83 a barrel before adding other charges such as costs of maritime shipment, insurance and fuel waste.

But Energy Minister Ibrahim Saif stressed that there are no “unannounced” charges, insisting that the pricing mechanism is transparent and has proven flexible, as shown by the frequent drops in the local prices of fuel.

The government says oil derivatives in the domestic market are subject to additional costs set by international markets for the product to reach Aqaba, Jordan’s sole sea port.

AMMAN — Wednesday marks the 40th birthday of HRH Prince Ali, who was born on December 23, 1975 to Their Majesties the late King Hussein and the late Queen Alia.

Prince Ali began his primary education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman and continued his studies in the UK and the US, before graduating from Salisbury School in Connecticut in 1993, where he excelled in sports, particularly wrestling.

He then joined the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where he was awarded the Brunei Medal for Excellence, and was commissioned as an officer in 1994.

Before continuing his studies in the US, Prince Ali served in the Special Forces as a pathfinder, earning his military freefall parachute wings.

In 1999, Prince Ali was asked to serve as commander of His Majesty’s Special Security in the Royal Guards and served in that capacity until January 28, 2008, when His Majesty King Abdullah entrusted him with establishing and directing the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management.

Prince Ali, who currently serves as an officer in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army with the rank of major general, is president of the Jordan Football Association and the West Asian Football Federation, as well as chairman of the Royal Film Commission.

On January 6, 2011, the prince was elected FIFA vice president for Asia.

He currently chairs the social responsibility committees at FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

In 2012, Prince Ali founded the Asian Football Development Project, a nonprofit youth commission based in Amman, whose objective is to provide effective, need-based assistance to all Asian, national and regional football associations and affiliates in a fair and transparent manner.

The prince also has been chairing the Royal Film Commission since its establishment in 2003. The commission works to develop the local film industry to enable Jordanian filmmakers to compete internationally.

On September 7, 2004, the prince married HRH Princess Rym, daughter of veteran UN and Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi. They have a daughter, Princess Jalila, born on September 16, 2005, and a son, Prince Abdullah, born on March 19, 2007.

AMMAN — Jordan’s technology sector is mature and can serve as a platform for the development of a robust start-up tech ecosystem, according to the Jordan Economic Monitor for fall 2015.

The World Bank report, launched on Monday, highlighted the tech start-up ecosystem in Jordan and the sector’s opportunities for growth and employment.

According to the report, more than 500 companies in Jordan’s ICT sector are significant contributors to the economy, its competitiveness and job creation. 

From 2001 to 2013, ICT export revenues (both hardware and services) grew at an annual average rate of 39 per cent, and in 2013 accounted for 51 per cent of the total, surpassing domestic revenues for the first time, the report said. 

Also in 2013, the ICT sector accounted for 11,637 direct jobs. 

The total multiplier effect of the ICT sector on employment (including indirect and induced jobs) is estimated to be around 80,000 jobs, according to the study.

“However, the sector has reached a plateau. Its revenue share of [the] GDP [gross domestic product] has been shrinking and while its contribution to total service exports has recovered slightly since 2010 it is still below the high achieved in 2005,” the report said.

Encouraging Jordan’s start-up tech ecosystem could help address some of the ICT sector’s challenges, the study added. Tech start-ups can revive the domestic market by stimulating demand for online services, making the Jordanian sector more sustainable.

Innovation generated by digital entrepreneurs can in turn make the export market more competitive, according to the report.

However, for this to happen, “mindsets need to change regarding development of the tech sector,” said the report, adding that the previous emphasis on attracting foreign investment from ICT multinationals for a few large companies to develop export-driven services needs to be modified to encourage additional small domestic entrepreneurs who need venture capital to grow.

In addition, the report stressed that start-ups can strengthen the country’s goal of becoming a regional tech hub by injecting innovation, vibrancy and sustainability.

“The ecosystem also enhances links between tech and other sectors due to disruptive business models targeting many industries,” the report said, adding that the Jordan 2025 Vision suggests a number of initiatives that would benefit the tech ecosystem such as increasing seed and venture capital funding for start-ups, raising the share of small businesses in government tenders and developing an entrepreneurship mentality at universities.