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DEAD SEA — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday underlined that the answers to the most difficult test of our times are not in books or texts, nor in forums or conferences, but lie in teachers and the values they instil in students.

Speaking at the second Teacher Skills Forum, the Queen cited the "pivotal" role of teachers, which she described as "sacred", especially in their ability to entrench commitment and ambition among students.

"And yet, I must confess, even I didn't appreciate how pivotal your role is until recently with all that has been unfolding around us lately," Her Majesty said.

"The dark conditions that the Arab world is going through today have increased my conviction that... our future depends on you," noted the Queen, wondering about the reasons behind events taking place in the region, namely conflicts, displacement and destruction.

"Let us put conspiracy theories aside and take responsibility for the situation we find ourselves in. We created this problem, and only we can solve it. And the solution is at the front of our classrooms every morning. It is you!"Addressing teachers, Queen Rania said: "what you teach them… how you treat them… what horizons you open up for them… what type of lens you picture the world and its people for them" are what make the difference.

"Your divine mission is not merely to fill their minds with information, but to build their character," she noted.
"Our fight against destructive ideas inevitably requires armies and weapons, but even after the biggest victory, the battlefield provides only temporary solutions — it bandages wounds, but does not stop the bleeding. You are aborting their ideologies and not allowing them to see light."

The Queen also underlined that educators are the "first line of defence in our fight to defeat the enemies of humanity".

"Just as nations arm their soldiers, it is our duty to enable you with the latest teaching skills and techniques. You are not only builders of the present... You give hope and create opportunities. You instil passion for knowledge and ambition... You paint in their minds the love of life in its brightest colours."She urged teachers to work hard to develop themselves, their skills and keep up with the requirements of their field. "You are entrusted with the minds of our children. What a responsibility and what an influence you have on our future!"

The Queen voiced hope that teachers will graduate a generation to the Arab world that "wants to live and coexist... a generation not shackled by fear, but emboldened by hope… not busy in the fight for a living, but motivated by ambition and achievement". "My commitment to empowering you is as large as the commitment and dedication to education I ask of you. Every one of us has a role and a responsibility," Her Majesty noted, expressing hope that the conference would bring forth a coalition of Arab teachers committed to carrying the message of light and a flame of hope for a better tomorrow.

The second Teacher Skills Forum opened on Saturday  on the eastern shores of the Dead Sea, providing more than 1,000 educators from across the region a venue to discuss themes deemed essential to the development of their profession, including early, concept-based, differentiated and STEAM learning, which pertains to science, technology, engineering arts and maths.

The forum, held by the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA) and the International Baccalaureate, brings together the "largest" number of educators face-to-face with "masters of the profession worldwide".

If it were not for the gathering, Razan Zu'bi, director of Mahes Public Secondary School for Girls, would not have been able to explore new ways of teaching or perhaps know whether her methods of leading her school are sound or outdated.

"I believe that teachers' outlook on their profession changes after taking part in the forum. Nowadays, there are many players who shape students' views and if teachers do not update their skills, they will fall behind as influencers," Zu'bi told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

QRTA CEO Haif Bannayan highlighted that despite developments realised in the world of education, the "big, heavy load remains on teachers".

"The quality of education cannot exceed the quality of teachers… teachers are the main factor impacting students," he said during a session attended by Queen Rania.

Bannayan cited studies that show the direct correlation between students' academic performance and the economy.

"Investing in education is the path to social development and economic prosperity," he said.

The session, also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury and other senior officials, included a panel discussion on the critical role of educators and ways in which they can engage more with their pupils and ignite their curiosity for knowledge.

Also on Sunday, Her Majesty toured a fair held on the sidelines of the forum to showcase the products of several companies concerned with innovative educational solutions.

The Queen was acquainted with the function of the products and how teachers can utilise them for better educational outcomes.

Also on the sidelines of the forum, Queen Rania met with Canadian Ambassador to Jordan Bruno Saccomani and discussed progress in implementing an agreement signed with the Canadian government last year to support QRTA's efforts to train and rehabilitate teachers over a five-year period in cooperation with the Education Ministry.

AMMAN — Although extremist groups employ several art forms and technologies in order to spread their ideology, art can also function as a tool to counter radicalisation and emphasise common values, experts said Sunday. 

Hanaa Ramli, a consultant in the field of information technology and Internet culture, cited extremist groups' circulation of "bloody" images and videos showing acts of violence over social media outlets as "a phenomenon that violates humanity's values".

Ramli made the remarks at a panel on the role of art in confronting extremism, which was held at Amman's Royal Cultural Centre as part of the Karama Human Rights Film Festival.

Social media users who share violent material produced by extremist groups, even for the purpose of condemning their actions, are just as involved in spreading radical thought as those who create such material and seek to spread fear amongst the people, she said.

The consultant cited YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook as the most common outlets utilised by extremist groups to spread their ideology, noting that although administrators of these outlets have closed thousands of accounts that violate their rules, extremists remain able to create new ones.

She cited as an example the Twitter accounts run by terrorists that post over 40,000 tweets on a daily basis.

Sharing violent material involves dangers other than promoting extremist ideology, Ramli stressed, highlighting that posting images of shattered body parts of victims of explosions or armed conflicts also represents an abuse of social media tools.

She noted that such content is rarely preceded by warnings to protect children, the sick or pregnant women.

"Terrorist work is not the act of killing per se, but the videos of it that are produced with the aim of terrorising people," Egyptian director and producer Sherif Mandour said, adding that those who share terrorist videos serve the purposes of extremist groups.

He noted that technological advancements provide "affordable and easy-to-use" software that terrorists can use to deliver their chosen messages through fabricated videos and fictional films.

"It is a war that uses a very crucial weapon [media] and aims to kill spectators' innocence," Mandour argued. 

In contrast, Johanna Schwartz, an award-winning American-born filmmaker based in the UK, shared her experience of art's role in countering extremism in Mali in her film "They Will Have to Kill Us First."

The 100-minute film depicts the struggles of Malian musicians in the wake of an extremist takeover and the subsequent prohibition of music. The Malians were so committed to music as an essential means of self-expression that they were willing to risk death at the hands of the militant groups.

The panel was organised in cooperation with Action Aid as part of the Karama Human Rights Film Festival, which is showcasing 70 narrative features, documentaries and animated films from 25 countries, with the participation of over 20 filmmakers and prominent actors.

AMMAN — The Council of Ministers on Sunday endorsed the 2015 draft by-law for education quality and accountability of the Education Ministry, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The by-law seeks to enhance strategic planning for the education process based on evaluating institutions’ performance and identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Moreover, it aims at following up on the work and performance of education supervisors, school teachers and principals through measurable standards.

Under the by-law, the Education Ministry will form an “education quality and accountability” unit. 

Its organisational structure will be decided under instructions issued by the minister in order to improve education on three levels: educational institutions, directorates and the ministry. 

The Cabinet also endorsed a 2015 draft by-law for national training in schools, which aims at shaping students’ personalities and enhancing their leadership, teamwork and volunteering skills.

Moreover, it focuses on building relations among students that are based on exchanging ideas and opinions through positive dialogue, respecting others’ opinions and improving moral and social behaviour. 

The programme starts from the ninth grade for Jordanian students in public and private schools during the school break, Petra reported.

AMMAN — Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) agents have arrested a suspect who reportedly attempted to smuggle cocaine into Jordan in his stomach, the Public Security Department (PSD) said Sunday.

Acting on information that the suspect would be arriving at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) on Saturday carrying drugs, AND agents detained the man upon his arrival and searched his luggage, but did not find narcotics, according to the PSD.

The suspect then confessed to hiding cocaine in balloons and swallowing them.

AND agents took the suspect to hospital, where 27 balloons stuffed with cocaine were extracted from his stomach through surgery, and he is now in good condition, the statement said.

Investigation into the case is still under way ahead of referring it to court.

In a separate case, AND agents received information on a South American suspect allegedly planning to drop off drugs in Jordan.

They arrested the suspect upon his arrival at QAIA and searched his luggage, where they found 650 grammes of cocaine hidden in small metal pipes in one of his bags, according to the PSD statement.

Further investigation revealed that two Arabs were supposed to receive the drugs from the suspect. AND agents located and arrested them and referred the case to court.

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, an AND official said the Syrian conflict, the refugee crisis and turmoil in surrounding countries are to blame for the new illicit drug smuggling methods the Kingdom has been witnessing over the past four years.

In recent incidents, smugglers have resorted to using sheep, car tyres, biscuit packets, packages of sweets, olives, large marble blocks and children’s beds to hide illegal narcotics.

The AND official said the department is constantly following up on the latest methods of smuggling and taking “all leads and tips very seriously”.

AMMAN — German President Joachim Gauck and his wife arrived in Amman on Sunday on an official visit to the Kingdom.

Gauck is scheduled to hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah on ways to boost relations.

Discussions will also address overall regional and global developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and Dutch Special Envoy to Syria Nicholas Van Dam on Sunday discussed the latest regional developments and international efforts to arrive at a political solution in Syria.

Judeh stressed Jordan’s position in support of a political solution that guarantees Syria’s security and territorial integrity and briefed the Dutch envoy on the heavy burdens borne by the Kingdom as a result of hosting Syrian refugees.

He urged the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in this regard, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Van Dam expressed his country’s appreciation of Jordan’s pivotal role to achieve security and stability in the region, and arrive at solutions to regional issues, including the Syrian crisis, stressing his country’s support of Jordan’s role.

AMMAN — Senator Mohammad Eid Bondoqji, head of the Jordanian-Japanese friendship committee, on Sunday discussed bilateral relations with Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Shuichi Sakurai, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Bondoqji highlighted the depth of the Jordanian-Japanese relations, referring to His Majesty King Abdullah’s visits to Japan and the visits of senior Japanese officials to Jordan. Sakurai voiced his country’s interest in enhancing parliamentary cooperation with Jordan.

AMMAN — The Public Sector Development Ministry has finished preparing an analysis on restructuring the social development sector, a ministry statement said Sunday.

Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh said the study is part of a project to restructure the public sector within priorities set by the Cabinet.

Khawaldeh said the study recommended linking the Social Development Ministry and the National Aid Fund online through a central database.

AMMAN — The National Electric Power Company on Sunday signed an agreement to buy power from a Dutch company implementing a $95 million solar energy project in Mafraq at a capacity of 50 megawatts, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Energy Minister Ibrahim Saif said the agreement is the second to be signed with one of the companies selected within the second round of the Kingdom’s solar independent power producer tender, which also includes three other projects.

AMMAN — Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel on Saturday arrested a suspect wanted for three criminal cases, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted a security source as saying on Sunday.

The source said CID agents searched the suspect’s house after arresting him and found nine artefacts that turned out to be fakes with no historical value. Initial questioning of the suspect revealed that he was planning to sell the pieces as originals, according to the source.