Jordan ERSP Quarterly Report (Jan to Mar 2011)

The program's excellent progress was attributed to the appointment of a new Minister of Education, Dr. Tayseer Neuimi, who is a passionate ERfKE reformer and an experienced leader of the Ministry. He has brought new energy and commitment to achieving the long-term goals of the Ministry and is a vocal proponent of USAID's support through ERSP. Despite the tumultuous political climate in the region, ERSP has made considerable accomplishments. USAID has added funds to ERSP to increase support to JSP schools and provide discretionary funds supporting Ministry reform activities. The management of the sports areas renovations (Component 2) has been transferred from Save the Children to Creative Associates to take advantage of Creative's team of expert engineers. The Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) has been finalized, and preparations have been made for reporting against it at the end of the second year. The Early Childhood Education component has shown great progress this quarter. The Minister has approved the Comprehensive ECE policy report, and the MoE ECE technical committee has endorsed the kindergarten teachers' competencies. Kindergartens across the Kingdom have been implementing Parental Involvement activities almost independently, with minimal support required from ERSP. Youth, Technology, and Careers activities are moving ahead briskly, with highlights including the implementation of the second round of teacher training for MIS-Online, the MoE endorsement of the Pathways to the Future training, expansion of Career Days activities, and solutions for improved sports facilities at schools. A multitude of Professional Development activities are being implemented through the Kingdom, serving thousands of educators. New teachers are being supported with trained mentors, and in-service teachers are demonstrating improved classroom practice as a result of the ERSP school-based training. Principals and supervisors who participate in the leaders training are supporting each other and reflecting on lessons learned and best practices through healthy communities of practice. Meanwhile, gains in Ministry reform efforts have taken center stage, including engagement of committees on principal standards, ECE, PD, and ICT frameworks. The two-tiered approach to improved data for decision-making (Component 4) began to bear fruit this quarter. The data integration problem identification consultancy was completed and met with a very positive reception in the Ministry. The Ministry is prepared to move ahead now with a second consultancy to lay the groundwork for addressing the integration problems identified. The Planning Department has taken ownership of the school-level data for decision-making work, and ERSP has worked with Planning and ITG to develop queries based on data available in EduWave, which will enable principals and field directorate planners to make informed decisions about school management. ERSP has earned the respect of the Ministry and continues to meet their high standards. Despite the tumultuous political climate, the project remains committed to maintaining its mutual respect with the Ministry and to providing technical expertise to assist the Ministry in accomplishing its goals.