Jordan: Modernizing Education, Skills, and Administrative Reforms (MASAR) Operation

About the project

The PforR will support three Result Areas (RA) where the World Bank’s value added is expected to be strongest and where there is no overlap with other WB’s or development partners operations. These include improving access to foundational learning, increasing access to labor market-relevant TVET, and enhancing the efficiency of the education system management.

The Program reflects the full inclusion of refugees in Jordan’s national education system. It includes results that incentivize KG enrollment for refugee children, and their inclusion in the expansion and improvements to TVET, a subsector that is currently not open to refugees.

Project Development Objective (PDO)

The PDO is to improve access to foundational learning and to labor market-relevant technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and enhance the efficiency of the education sector management.

Project Implementation Status

1. The operation was approved by the Board on June 27, 2024, and declared effective on September 17, 2024.
2. An advance of US$96 million has been disbursed.
3. Prior results for US$3.84 million corresponding to DLI 6.1a. (Cabinet’s decision for the establishment of the new Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development) have been achieved and disbursed.
4. The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Bank teams are working on a kick-off agenda to ensure the timely compliance with the legal covenants by: (i) preparing the TORs for the hiring of key DCU team members; (ii) developing the Operation’s Manual (OM); and (iii) advancing in the selection process of the independent verification agency to ensure timely disbursement of a first tranche of Disbursement-linked indicators (DLI).
5. The team is processing an Additional Financing of US$5.01 million to the IPF component of the operation to: (i) support the National School Feeding for refugee students; (ii) support teacher training with an emphasis on foundational literacy.
6. The team is preparing for the official launch of MASAR on February 10, 2025.

Relevant Documents:

• Project Appraisal Document (PAD)
• World Bank Project Information Page