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

• Total disbursement stands at 25.2% (US$100.82 million), of which US$94.3 million was disbursed as DLI advances.
• MASAR’s Project Operations Manual was adopted in April 2025 following extensive consultation and Bank endorsement.
• MOE formed the Steering Committee (SC) and established dedicated technical teams per Results Area (RA) to guide and report on DLR progress.
• The staffing of the Development Coordination Unit (DCU) is underway, with most core roles filled. Recruitment of social, environmental, M&E, and procurement specialists is expected to be completed by July 2025.
• The Independent Verification Agency (IVA) selection process is ongoing.
• A draft implementation plan for the National Literacy Strategy (DLR 3.1) was completed and is pending final endorsement.
• DLR 2.2 (KG classrooms meeting climate-adapted quality standards) achieved 802 classrooms pending verification (US$3.5 million disbursement expected).
• Four new BTEC specializations were launched in the 2024/2025 school year. The BTEC achievement rate is 84.6% (15,500 students achieving Level 2 diploma).
• An Additional Financing package of US$5.0 million (from PROSPECTS and ELP Trust Funds) is pending final approval. It aims to expand school feeding for refugee students and support foundational teacher training.
• Challenges include delays in fund transfer from MOPIC to MOE’s special account and concerns over the impact of USAID funding cuts on DLI1 and DLI3 targets.

Relevant Documents:

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