USAID seeks ‘to tap into energy of Jordanian youth’

AMMAN — USAID seeks to promote opportunities that tap into the energy of Jordan's young people and hone their skills, the agency's mission director, Jim Barnhart, said on Thursday. 

The aid agency works with the Jordanian people through partnerships with the government as well as the private sector and civil society across multiple fields to enhance the learning environment at schools and to boost graduates' employability in the labour market, he told reporters at a roundtable discussion to mark International Youth Day.  

USAID has built 28 new schools and renovated another 117 in recent years, benefitting around 84,000 students from kindergarten to Grade 12, Barnhart said.  

The agency plans to build another 24 schools and 300 kindergartens, and to renovate or expand 120 schools across the country, he added. 

Barnhart noted that the new schools focus on the learner and promote more interaction between teachers and students.

The Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Initiative (RAMP), led by the Education Ministry, seeks to improve the quality of education by providing in-depth training for teachers of kindergarten to Grade 3 through a year-long mentorship programme that is followed by evaluations.

Meanwhile, children that fall behind or drop out of school are offered quick education to enable them to re-enter schools through another programme, carried out in partnership with Questscope, Barnhart explained.

Over the past 10 years, this programme has helped 12,000 students return to education, and it seeks to include another 2,000 students, he said.

The “culture of shame” among young Jordanians, which values academic achievements above vocational training, is receding, Barnhart said, adding that USAID provides training to equip high school students with the skills to work in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Meanwhile, over 130,000 university students have benefitted from USAID's programme to equip them with the soft skills needed to compete in the labour market, he noted.

In addition, the aid agency supports highly skilled young people in the fields of information technology, clean technology and innovation through support and training, so they can start businesses or join the workforce. 

Noting that development is not only about education and job opportunities, USAID's Ana Usharek (I Participate) programme aims to engage young people in their communities and to initiate dialogues that address issues around them, said the official.  

So far, the programme runs in 25 universities, reaching 19,000 students, and the agency plans to expand it to high schools.  

Through Ana Usharek, young Jordanians discuss issues they are passionate about, said Barnhart, who added that the topics could be related to politics, democracy, human rights or any other field. 

In December 1999, the UN General Assembly endorsed a recommendation by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth to declare August 12 International Youth Day.

This year’s theme is “The road to 2030: eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable consumption and production”, encouraging countries to commit to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through partnerships with and for young people, according to a UN statement.