The Jordan Education InitiativeA Multi-stakeholder Partnership

Model to Support Education ReformHaif Bannayan

Juliana GuaquetaOsama Obeidat

Harry Anthony PatrinosEmilio Porta

Summary• Jordan Education Initiative (JEI) launched in 2003 under

World Economic Forum (WEF)• Public-private partnership – or multi-stakeholder partnership• Integrates ICT in education as tool for teaching & learning• Fits on-going reform of education system in Jordan• JEI main objective: help students develop critical knowledge

economy skills crucial for competitiveness & economic growth– JEI also seeks to build capacity of local IT industry– Sustainable reform model supported by private sector that could

be scaled & replicated in other countries

JEI Objectives

• Improve delivery of education through PPP• Unleash innovation of teachers & students

through effective ICT use• Build capacity of local IT industry• Create reform model that can be used by

other countries

JEI part of Reform

• JEI developed when Jordan began education reform : Education Reform for Knowledge Economy Project (ERfKE), 2002, strongly supported by His Majesty King Abdullah II

• The ERfKE strategy is based on:– Structuring educational system to ensure lifelong

learning– Ensuring responsiveness of system to the economy– Access & use ICT to support learning & management– Ensuring quality learning experiences & environments

Public & Private Collaboration

• Help students develop knowledge economy skills – academic-related (communication & thinking) & personal (responsibility, adaptability, teamwork)

• Improve delivery of education through PPP with potential to accelerate reform through ICT

Origins

• JEI launched in 2003 by group of nonprofit, IT & telecom industry leaders at World Economic Forum agreed to join forces to improve education in developing country

• Jordan selected because of top leadership• Jordan already had enabling & supporting environment

(eg, National Broadband Learning & Research Network)• JEI also a response to call expressed in Arab Human

Development Report 2002 for public & private collaboration to promote change

Sources of JEI Initial Investment Costs($ millions)

Jordan & Intl Partners Government0

4

8

12

16

20

JEI Partners

• Minister of Education, Minister of ICT, Minister of Planning & International Cooperation

• Various int’l corporations• Executive Committee chaired by Minister of

ICT, under patronage of HM Queen Rania

Fast Moving• JEI moved quickly from externally supported PPP project to national

status• WEF umbrella limited to 3 years• Most partner support for content & provision of ICT completed in 2007• That represented 1st phase of JEI• By 2008 JEI transformed to not for profit company

– Registered in Ministry of Industry & Trade as not for profit Limited Liability Company; one of HM Queen Rania Al Abdullah organizations on education

– Independent organization– Own strategy– Research & innovation– Implementer of projects– Consulting services globally

Education Investments

• Development of e-content– Thus promotes creation of Jordanian education

software companies • Global – Local – Government – Private

partnerships

Coverage

Male Female Co-ed Primary Secondary 1-499 500-999 1000-1499 1500-2000Gender Level Size (number of students)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

JEI’s Activities in 100 Discovery Schools

Schools: 100 Discovery Schools (DS)Administrators: 200 Principals & Assistant Principals Teachers: 3,000 Users of e-content in DSStudents: 80,000 users of e-content in DSMinistry Experts: 120 script writers and reviewersLab Technician: 1000 jobs created as outcome of JEIYouth: 150 fresh college graduates offered internships

Local companies: 5 worked to develop e-content 1st time

Performance

Relative to objectives program effective in:1. Constitute test bed for innovation in ICTs & education2. Develop ICT - education industry3. Develop & test model of education reform based on

partnerships to apply in other countries

JEI trying to achieve 3 outcomes:4. Impact on learning5. Development of local ICT industry6. Demonstration of an effective reform model

Impact on Learning

• Delivery of education• Effective use of ICTs• Development of knowledge economy• External reviews reveal positive indications

from teachers & students using e-curriculum & technology (USAID)

• But not enough student-centered learning (NCHRD)

Jordan, TIMSS Science

400

420

440

460

480

500

1999 2003 2007

Top 10 TIMSS Science Performance over Time 1999 2007 change Jordan 450 482 32 Lithuania 488 519 31 Turkey 433 454 21 Tunisia 430 445 15 Iran 448 459 11 Slovenia 533 538 5 United States 515 520 5 Japan 550 554 4 Korea 549 553 4 England 538 542 4

0 100 200 300 400 500

Math

Reading

Science

Figure 1: PISA Achievement Scores

Non-Discovery

Discovery

National Assessment for Knowledge Economy Skills (NAfKE)

• NAfKE measures student achievement in math, science, Arabic; complemented with surveys to students, teachers, principals

• 2006 & 2008, on 5 types of schools: public; Discovery; Military; UNRWA; private

Results

• Discovery & Non-Discovery 5th 9th 11th grades in Amman

• Participating in NAfKE in 2006 & 2008

Mean DifferencesYear Subject Grade Discovery Advantage

2006 Math 5 -1.37

2006 Math 9 9.59*

2006 Math 11 4.17*

2006 Science 5 7.07*

2006 Science 9 6.24*

2006 Science 11 4.91*

2006 Arabic 5 4.45*

2006 Arabic 9 6.24*

2006 Arabic 11 5.45*

2008 Math 5 3.85*

2008 Math 9 7.65*

2008 Math 11 0.23

2008 Science 5 2.77

2008 Science 9 10.01*

2008 Science 11 1.97*

2008 Arabic 5 6.88*

2008 Arabic 9 8.20*

2008 Arabic 11 1.44

With ControlsYear Subject Grade Discovery Advantage

2006 Math 5 2.53

2006 Math 9 7.58*

2006 Math 11 4.74*

2006 Science 5 10.83*

2006 Science 9 0.88

2006 Science 11 1.34

2006 Arabic 5 5.62

2006 Arabic 9 6.60*

2006 Arabic 11 3.86*

2008 Math 5 2.96

2008 Math 9 6.74*

2008 Math 11 -1.2

2008 Science 5 -4.25*

2008 Science 9 7.11*

2008 Science 11 1.91

2008 Arabic 5 -3.62

2008 Arabic 9 6.00*

2008 Arabic 11 1.69

Development of Local IT Industry• 5 local companies benefited from close relationships with

global partners– Example: Rubicon, a local e-content developer, partnered with

Cisco Systems & Cisco Learning Institute to produce math e-curriculum

– Example: Menhaj worked closely with Microsoft to develop ICT e-curriculum

• Estimated $3.7 million transferred from global partners to local companies as result of JEI

• Helped create favorable environment for investment– Example: Cisco formed partnership with Estarta to develop Cisco

Technical Support Centre

Developing Model of Reform for Other Countries

• JEI's focus is education• Consultancy arm to manage & implement

projects in several countries• Supported by World Economic Forum (eg,

Palestine, Egypt, Rajasthan)• Rwanda developing IT in Education policy

Sustainability

• Continuity, monitoring, support to 100 DS• Finances flows needed to maintain IT in schools• Implementing partner to Madrasati (

www.madrasati.jo) initiative launched & led by HM Queen Rania

• Research for Government to find new solutions• Full cost of implementing JEI approach: $27,743

/year /school (USAID 2008)$28 per student

JEI Holistic ApproachCycle of Planning & Implementation of Projects

Conclusions• JEI represents successful model of international PPP• Met objectives of establishing PPP with considerable external

donor & private participation• JEI able to provide classrooms with state of the art ICT &

software• Discovery Schools can serve as platforms for experimentation

& venues for attracting & piloting further innovation• JEI as model of reform & partnerships that can be replicated in

other countries• JEI’s early success manifested in transformation to national

body

Going Forward• JEI is important for ongoing education reform• Important that program impacts be estimated• Need rigorous assessment of impact

– Ideally randomized longitudinal study• Entering 2nd phase not too late to follow up students, with

randomized trials• Taking its role as a test bed for innovative technologies,

implementation in Discovery Schools could provide important information on what technologies work and under what circumstances and for which group of students

• Which technologies work best is the most important question of the day

JEI Current Tracks