Key Findings 

Teachers have the most powerful influence on student learning. To maximize their positive impact, teachers need to (a) be prepared before they enter the classroom, and (b) develop their professional skills on an ongoing basis. This brief highlights the qualifications and professional development of Jordan’s teachers as explored on the 2018 National Teacher Survey, the main findings of which are outlined below.

1. More than seven in 10 of Jordan’s teachers earned a Bachelor’s degrees or higher.
2. While the majority of teachers attained a bachelor’s degrees, they were often not specialized in education; only slightly more than one in 10 grade 4-6 and 7-10 teachers reported holding degrees in Education.
3. Fewer than one in five of the teachers who did not specialize in education in their community college or bachelor’s degrees, reported completing an additional pre-service teacher education program or diploma
4. Only one in four grade 4-6 and 7-10 teachers reported having a pre-service qualification in Education, compared to more than three in five grade 1-3 teachers.
5. UNRWA teachers were the most likely to report completing a pre-service education program (more than 55% of grade 4-10 teachers), while private school teachers were the least likely (17% for grade 4-10 teachers).
6. More than nine in 10 teachers, across all grade levels, reported participating in at least one form of professional development in the 12 months prior to the survey.
7. Professional development activities that relied on technology were more prominent in UNRWA and private schools (more than eight in 10) compared to MoE schools (seven in 10).
8. The top three barriers to participating in professional development activities were lack of incentives, lack of transportation and conflict of training time with work schedule for teachers across all school types

Policy Recommendations 

Upon the recommendation of the National Human Resource Development (HRD) Strategy 20162025, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently developing a licensing system for teachers to ensure teaching standards and training requirements feed into the improvement of teaching quality in schools.  Recommendations: 

1. Licensing system to consider – in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education – reviving and developing high-quality teacher education programs that combine subject matter content, pedagogical approaches and practicum experience.   

2. Potentially incorporate a pedagogical teaching course in university degrees that are content specific for aspiring subject teachers. Aspiring teachers who complete bachelor’s degrees in fields other than education can complete this course to qualify as teachers.  

3. Promote in-service continuous professional development, career progression and allowances to be aligned closely with professional development plans and activities. This approach may incentivize teachers to participate in professional development. 

4. The MoE to establish a system to regularly assess teachers’ professional development needs to ensure relevance and that the skills required in the classroom are being developed and honed. 

5. An increase in the provision of in-service training relating to supporting students with special learning needs or disabilities in MoE schools to be considered. 

6. UNRWA’s education reform strategy aimed to align pre-service and in-service training. This approach could also be adopted by the MoE in order to ensure complementarity and continuity in the trainings MoE teachers receive.  

7. A school-based professional development program, as implemented by UNRWA, could be an essential model to adopt in MoE schools.