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AMMAN — Minister of Education Mohammad Thneibat on Sunday attributed the major reason behind the low performance in the General Secondary Certificate Examination’s (Tawjihi) winter session to students’ inadequate preparedness and their over-reliance on private tutoring.

The Tawjihi average determines the future education path of students.

Announcing the results of the Tawjihi’s winter session, Thneibat was quoted by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, as saying that the ministry will launch a comprehensive campaign on cultural centres that provide private tutoring to students to ensure their compliance with relevant regulations and conditions.

The minister also described the winter session as “complete success”, attributing the reason to the set of measures taken by the ministry in collaboration with the Interior Ministry, Public Security Department, the two Houses of Parliament, the media, Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, Audit Bureau and Teachers Association, among others.

The minister said that the passing percentages in the major subjects, including mathematics, physics, Arabic, English and computer science reached 55.2 per cent, 58.4 per cent, 88.4 per cent, 72.7 per cent and 93.8 per cent respectively.

Around 170,969 students registered for the winter session, including 89,286 boys and 81,683 girls, of whom 106,684 are regular students, according to the Education Ministry.

In previous remarks, Thneibat said the “integrity rate” in the Tawjihi winter session stood between 85 and 90 per cent and that the exams were held with a “very high” level of discipline.

The minister added that around 24,000 registered students did not sit for the winter session exam, during which some 6,000 violations were recorded.

In order to avoid a repeat of the “flagrant” violations witnessed in previous sessions, the ministry took strict measures this year, such as appointing 24,000 monitors and installing special devices to jam mobile reception, thus foiling attempts to cheat through cellular phones.

These procedures cost the government around JD26 million, he said.

The ministry also cancelled multiple-choice questions and introduced more challenging questions in the subject tests.

Meanwhile, the Central Traffic Department on Sunday issued 702 tickets for traffic violations associated with the festivities that started in the wake of the announcement of the results, according to the Public Security Department’s media centre.

The tickets were issued between the time Tawjihi results were issued in the morning until 5pm.

Thneibat also revealed Sunday that the ministry has recorded multiple and repeated attempts to hack into the (EduWave website) on which the results were posted.

He said that all hacking attempts have failed due to the highly advanced technology the ministry employs.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Sunday said the government would not take action for a planned motion by the Israeli lawmakers efforts to cancel Jordan’s role as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem, as “no official decision is made yet”.

The premier told lawmakers during a House meeting that he understands the sentiments of the deputies who demanded a firm stand by the government as the Knesset members’ move is provocative.

Too many statements about issues like these would render Jordan’s stand “meaningless”, Ensour added.

In case the Knesset endorsed such a motion, he said, this would be a breach to the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, which is an “abiding agreement”.

The issue was raised by the Palestine Committee in the Lower House, which held a press conference prior to the House meeting and issued a statement calling for cancelling the peace treaty with Israel.

The committee also called on the government to expel the Israeli ambassador in Amman and call back Jordan’s envoy in Tel Aviv as a response to Knesset members attempts to deny Jordan’s custodianship over the holy sites in East Jerusalem, as stipulated in Article 9 of the peace deal.

The premier also cited the “Washington Declaration”, signed between Jordan and Israel under US sponsorship ahead of the treaty, which also stipulates that Israel acknowledges the custodian role of Jordan in Jerusalem.

The House adopted the committee’s statement, while several MPs slammed the government for not condemning the move.

AMMAN — The Jordan Volunteers organisation, aiming to “break the walls” between east and west Amman, organised a day of activities for people with disabilities earlier this week in cooperation with Al Hajjeh Rafika Al Nahari Care Centre in Wihdat.

Over the course of five hours on Saturday, some 30 volunteers — including school students — joined the beneficiaries at the care centre as they knitted, did carpentry work, and made accessories and carpets.

“The [beneficiaries at] such events end up teaching the volunteers more than the volunteers plan to teach them; they are part of our community and we should act like it,” Jordan Volunteers Spokesperson Yasmeen Kanaan said.

Through these activities, Kanaan added, the volunteers seek to change the stereotypical images that residents of upscale west Amman neighbourhoods may have about underprivileged areas around the Kingdom.

“My experience with this event… taught me to be less materialistic and to appreciate life; these kids are… happy all the time [despite the difficulties they face]. They taught me that life is still a beautiful thing,” Omar Jamal, a 23-year-old volunteer said.

Hadeel Matouq, a member of Jordan Volunteers, said the organisation, which was founded by young Jordanians in 2009 to provide the community with volunteer programmes all year round, works to encourage youths to interact with people of various backgrounds and accept them openly.

Al Hajjeh Rafika Al Nahari Care Centre offers recreational and educational activities to people with disabilities between the ages of six and 53, its director, Youssef Ibrahim told The Jordan Times.

“We divide them into groups according to their ages, mental abilities and physical conditions,” Ibrahim added.

Kanaan said the Jordan Volunteers organisation holds these activities every weekend, adding that anyone can lend a helping hand.

“Our organisation… invites all people regardless of their age, origin, or nationality to join our weekly events and initiatives.”

AMMAN — Finding talented human resources that possess the needed skills is the biggest problem facing start-ups in Jordan and the Middle East, Fadi Ghandour, founder and vice chairman of Aramex, said Sunday.

Citing the initial results of a study by entrepreneur support platform Wamda that covered 1,000 experts and entrepreneurs in the information technology sector, Ghandour said the second most pressing challenge facing start-ups is how to take business across the border.

He announced the findings of the study, the details of which will be released soon, during the second investment matchmaking event “DealMakers’ Weekend”, which was held by the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) and Endeavor Jordan, attracting scores of investors and entrepreneurs.

During the event, experts in the ICT sector urged start-ups in Jordan and the region to stay focused and persevere, and never to be afraid of failure.

Start-ups need to reach markets other than where they are based, they said.

“Middle East entrepreneurs need to understand that success and failure are very normal… the life of start-ups is not very easy,” said Ali Karabey, managing director of 212 Limited.

“It is important to support small- and medium-sized projects in the region because they will have a tough time in the upcoming stage in light of the current economic conditions…for start-ups, they will not grow if they do not think globally, especially in the ICT industry,” Karabey said at the event.

Mohammad Tahboub, former chairman of int@j, said banks and governments need to do more to support small- and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups to help the ICT industry, as over the past two years some 50 companies and start-ups shut down their offices.

“IT sector revenues dropped by 55 per cent over the past four years, which makes it necessary for start-ups and companies to focus on exporting,” said Tahboub.

The “DealMakers’ Weekend” is a regional activity bringing together investors and companies operating in the ICT and ICT enabled services sectors to explore Middle East and North Africa region investment opportunities in a setting that promotes networking, capacity building and collaboration, according to int@j. 

AMMAN — Several Jordanian Twitter users on Sunday criticised what the “irresponsible behaviour” of some Tawjihi students who celebrated passing the national exam’s winter session.

Some tweeps said students of the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) should celebrate in a “civilised manner and should not disturb the life of others”, warning that reckless driving puts the lives of others at risk.

“Joy is expressed with eating a piece of cake and not gun shootings,” Twitter user Nadine (@NadineSharabi) tweeted Sunday.

Many tweeps said some reckless drivers who were speeding in an expression of joy caused traffic jams — and in some cases accidents — on the capital’s main streets.

“It is unbelievable what happened today…roads were slippery because of the rain and some were speeding…I saw several accidents on the roads today,” Jood (@Jo-12) tweeted.

Lana Oran (@LanaOran) expressed similar views.

“Driving in cars and waving from windows for passing Tawjihi is the stupidest thing ever!! Students should pass it anyway; no need to celebrate,” tweeted Oran.

Others were critical of people shooting in the air as a show of celebration of Tawjihi results.

“Make sure to wear your helmets & bullet proof vests today. #Tawjihi is coming to town,” tweeted Mays Xana (@mays_mays).

Majdoleen J (Majdoj) agreed.

“Respect the laws and … celebrate your #Tawjihi in a civilised way,” said Mays.

Last year, 12 injuries from gunshot wounds were reported across the Kingdom after the results of the Tawjihi summer session were announced.

Festive firing during special occasions, such as weddings and after Tawjihi results are released, is a common practice that security agencies are working to curb. 

AMMAN — A twinning project with the European Union launched on Sunday will enable the Ministry of Social Development to enhance services offered to vulnerable families, women and children, according to officials.

The 15-month “promoting the rights of vulnerable families, women and children” project, will be implemented by the ministry, benefiting from the expertise of Northern Ireland’s department of health and social services, according to stakeholders who launched of the project.

Social Development Minister Reem Abu Hassan told reporters that this “timely initiative” will provide the ministry with the opportunity to reform and modernise its services to promote and protect the rights of vulnerable groups.

She added that the project will enhance social services and provide the ministry with useful practices in addressing economic and social differences.

“We might be in different parts of the world, but there are similarities in the challenges we face,” Abu Hassan said, referring to Jordan’s partner, Northern Ireland.

These challenges, she said, include early intervention in the lives of most vulnerable children to achieve a better quality of living, preventing youths from getting into conflict with the law? and empowering persons with disabilities and children to play a more active role in society.

Speaking at the project’s launch ceremony, EU Ambassador to Jordan Joanna Wronecka said family values and care are equally important for Jordan and the societies of the EU.

“Promotion of human rights in general is at the centre of the EU’s relations with all strategic partners, including Jordan, and respect for human rights is emphasised under EU development assistance,” she said.

“This is important to highlight as the EU and Jordan entered the advanced status of cooperation in 2010,” Wronecka added.

She noted that the new twinning project is aimed at supporting the Ministry of Social Development in ensuring that vulnerable families equally benefit from Jordan’s growth and enhancing the quality of social services delivered by care centres across Jordan.

“Around 65 million Euros have been provided by the European Union since 2002 for these types of… partnerships with a variety of public institutions in Jordan,” the ambassador said.

British Ambassador to Jordan Peter Millett said the project will also link reforms to public services, which he said is a crucial move to improve services offered to the most vulnerable groups.

AMMAN/MAFRAQ — Syrian refugee Hussein Jneidi usually did not pay attention to the risks posed by mines or explosive remnants of war (ERW).

But the Homs-born changed his attitude after attending a workshop to raise the awareness of Syrians on these issues.

"Since we will go back home after the instability is over in my country — God willing — I learned how dangerous the situation might be for civilians," he told The Jordan Times during the workshop, which was recently held.

Jneidi is one of several Syrians in the north who are benefiting from a programme held by the National Committee for De-mining and Rehabilitation (NCDR) and financially supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Dubbed "Emergency Risk Education Response", the programme was designed following an agreement signed by the two parties in September last year, according to ICRC Jordan Spokesperson Hala Shamlawi.

"The ICRC provided the NCDR with $157,000 in financial support to implement the project," she told The Jordan Times in a recent interview, adding that the programme, which started in November last year, will last for six months, concluding in April.

NCDR Director Mohammad Breikat noted that the project, which includes a series of workshops for Syrians living in the Kingdom's northern region, will enable the participants to teach their compatriots how to deal with mines and ERW when they go back home, potentially saving many lives.

Jordan became one of the first countries in the Middle East to sign and ratify the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1998.

In 2012, it was announced that Jordan was “free of minefields”, but the NCDR is continuing its search for landmines which have either exploded or shifted due to erosion and floods, and it is conducting a verification process to ensure that no threat remains.

Adnan Telfah, the head of the NCDR’s risk education and victim assistance departments, said that for Syrians, dealing with unexploded ordnance — such as mines, grenades, rockets and shells — is a new problem.

"Dealing with internal conflict is different from organised wars," Telfah told The Jordan Time during one of the training sessions held in Mafraq.

He noted that the workshops target Syrians who reside in the city of Mafraq, some 80km northeast of Amman, and the neighbouring villages, adding that participants receive a general overview about these two issues.

"We also train them on how to help injured people and tell them about the organisations that work in this field," he said, adding that the workshops include practical sessions.

The NCDR has previously organised workshops and training programmes for Jordanians on ERW and the dangers of mines, according to Telfah.

"Our awareness campaigns have covered around 800,000 Jordanians so far. The aim behind these campaigns is not only to raise people's awareness, but also to change their behaviour," Breikat said.

In addition to the current project's three workshops, which target around 45 Syrians, the organisers are implementing an awareness programme that will involves Syrians in their residential areas, according to Telfah.

"The training programme is expected to cover 20,000 Syrians," he added.

Ibtisam Khalaf, who left Damascus two months ago and sought refuge in Jordan, said the training she has received will help her keep her children safe.

"I learned that I should not let my children go out anywhere when I go back home unless I make sure that the area is free of mines and unexploded ordnance," she said, adding that she will use what she learned to teach other Syrian mothers once she returns to her country.

Jneidi said teaching other Syrian after going back home is one of the most important outcomes of the workshop.

"Many Syrians back home, especially children, will be curious and want to inspect any strange objects they find on the street, so it is really important to teach them that it is dangerous to play with anything they find lying outside their house."