​Central

Objectives for education in Jordan are:

• To develop responsible citizens who believe in the basic principles of the constitution; the rights and the responsibilities of citizens; honesty and dedication to work; responsible behavior; and fruitful cooperation with others based on democratic relationships.
• To develop an understanding of the natural, social, and cultural environment starting with the home and ending with the world as a whole. This objective should aim at understanding the environment, its problems, and its urgent needs, and developing, in the individual, a sense of responsibility to do his share in the betterment of the environment.
• To develop pupils physically, socially, mentally, and emotionally, taking individual differences into consideration.
• To raise the health standards—in both the individual and the group—through proper health information and the development of appropriate habits.
• To raise the economic standards of the individual and the society and to increase the national income.
• To develop such skills as effective communication, critical and creative thinking, logical reasoning, orderly thinking, the ability to use scientific methods of investigation, and the proper engagement of relationships with others.

The Law of Jordanian Universities No. 20 of 2009 and the new Law of Higher Education No. 23 of 2009 were issued, as the legal basis for establishing the following units:

• The Policy Analysis and Planning Unit, which collects data and information on the higher education sector, and conducts studies to support the work of the Higher Education Council.
• The Unified Admission Coordination Unit which is responsible for students' admission into public universities according to the admission principles approved by the Council of Higher Education.[1]

The EU cooperates with Jordan on issues of higher education via programmes such as Tempus, Erasmus Mundus and Marie Curie Action.[2]

Other specific competencies include:

• Establishing and administering public schools at all levels and supervising private schools.
• Providing health and counselling services.
• Encouraging educational research.
• Enhancing educational relations inside the kingdom and with other Arab and Islamic countries.
• Establishing adult education centres
• Furthering cultural and scientific development through libraries and museums, radio and television, lectures, clubs, societies, and appropriate magazines.

Local

Education is highly centralised. Voluntary powers may include assistance ot schools in areas of responsibility, but the law determines the Ministry of Education to be responsible for public administration in the education sector.
In practice, there is an effective communication between the Ministry, Governorates and local government units to implement education policies and programmes.

[1] Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Brief on Higher Education Sector in Jordan, available at http://www.mohe.gov.jo/brief/briefMohe1/tabid/558/language/en-US/Default.aspx (EN).

[2] Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in Jordan Progress in 2012 and Recommendations for Action, p. 14.

Responsible bodies: Ministry of Education

Sources:

Law of Education No. 16, enacted in 1964

Law of Education No.3 of 1994

The Law of Jordanian Universities No. 20 of 2009 and the new Law of Higher Education No. 23 of 2009