As part of her mission to raise awareness of the UK’s international efforts to guarantee that all girls have access to a quality education for 12 years, Special Envoy Helen Grant spoke with partners in Jordan and toured a number of various education programs that are financed by the UK.
Added Helen Grant:
For the purpose of reducing poverty and promoting economic growth, girls’ education is crucial.
The talented and remarkable girls and young women I met during my visit to Jordan, as well as all the work the UK is doing to support them in realizing their potential through education, have inspired me.
The Special Envoy had meetings with Jordan’s Minister of Education, important partners and stakeholders from the country’s education sector, as well as international donor partners.
Helen Grant often emphasized the benefits for society of educating females, calling it “one of the most effective development investments we can make.”
The Special Envoy visited a school in the Zaatari Refugee Camp on World Refugee Day 2022 that was supported by the UK and the Accelerated Access Initiative, a multidonor education program.
She also took part in a focus group with refugee girls in their second year of high school to learn more about the benefits of education and the difficulties they experience as vulnerable girls trying to continue their education.
She witnessed firsthand how assistance from the UK and the Jordanian government helps ensure that all children in that country have access to high-quality education.
The Special Envoy emphasized the advantages of curriculum and teacher training reform during a meeting with the Minister of Education.
She also emphasized the importance of safety to ensure that girls are supported to remain in and succeed in education and are given the necessary tools to transition to further education and employment opportunities.
In order to interact with Jordanian students and teachers at a school taking part in the British Council International School Awards, the Special Envoy also went to Princess Alia Secondary School (ISA).
She also spoke with young Jordanian females receiving help from the UK’s Newton-Khalidi fund about their experiences pursuing STEM careers, and she interacted with AstroJo, a partner organization of both Jordan and the UK, as well as UCL.
Helen Grant was pleased to welcome a new partnership for a UK-funded research initiative at a meeting with the Queen Rania Foundation.
She uttered:
I’m happy that our new global education research initiative, Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crises (ERICC), in Jordan will contribute to the development of best practices and evidence on what works in education so that all Jordanian children can receive a higher standard of education.
After her tour was over, the Special Envoy said:
I’m happy to personally witness the positive effects of UK funding and collaboration with the Ministry of Education on Jordanian boys and girls’ access to high-quality education.
Since 2016, the UK has taken the lead in urging the international community to endorse the historic “Jordan Compact” pledge to guarantee that all children, regardless of their nationality, will have access to education.
This pledge was made at the “Syria and the Region Conference.”
The UK and the government of Jordan will keep up their relentless efforts to guarantee that all children, regardless of their nationality, will receive a decent education.