EUTF SUPPORT TO CONSTRUCT SCHOOLS IN JORDAN
FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION, THROUGH THE EU REGIONAL TRUST FUND IN RESPONSE TO THE SYRIAN CRISIS, THE EU MADAD FUND.
SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME (SCP) I-II
Implemented by
FUNDED BY THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT
EUR 30 Million to build Schools in Jordan
By AlGhad
Nov. 2017
AMMAN — Planning and International Cooperation Minister Emad Fakhouri and Member of the Executive Council of the German Development Bank (KfW) Joachim Nagel on Sunday signed an additional grant agreement worth EUR10 million to finance the School Construction Programme Phase II under the Jordan Response Plan (JRP).
The grant, which is part of 2016’s commitments, aims to finance the 2nd phase of the School Construction Plan to build new public schools, and expand and provide furniture and equipment to existing ones at Syrian refugees host communities, with the 1st phase was signed on July, 31, 2017 with value of 19 million euros.
The project comes as part of the commitments made during the London Conference on supporting Syria and the region held in 2016.
During the signing ceremony, which was attended by German Ambassador Birgitta Siefker, Secretary General of Education Ministry Sami Salaita and Director of KfW Office in Jordan Christian Schaub, Fakhouri said that this program is among the priorities of the Jordan Response Plan to the Syrian crisis.
“It will contribute to implementing the Education Ministry’s plan on addressing the impacts of the Syrian crisis on education in the Kingdom and improving the quality of education provided to the Syrian and reducing overcrowding at schools, the minister added. “The minister added the German support provided to the Jordanian education sector through KfW for the years 2016-2017 amounted to EUR100 million, including a EUR14-million new grant to finance the 3rd phase in 2018.
KfW is among the major partners of Jordan in supporting the priority development projects, especially education, water and sanitation, according to the minister.
Fakhouri expressed his country’s appreciation for the German government’s continuous support as a strategic partnership for Jordan in its development endeavours. He also thanked Germany for recently announcing additional aid for Jordan that amounted to EUR275.17 million as grants, technical support and concessional loans. The minister called on Germany to increase the support provided to the Kingdom through maximizing the beneficiation of the development cooperation program of the current year and focusing on the economic opportunities and employment, in addition to supporting the implementation of the JRP, which is being updated, and through the concessional financing mechanism administered by the World Bank to reduce the cost of development loans, in light of the pivotal role, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, in enhancing the regional and international security and peace, combating extremism and terror, and inter-faith dialogue. For his part, Nagel stressed the continuation of German support to the Kingdom is a priority of the German Government and KfW.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum of support provided to the Syrian refugees host communities, expressing appreciation over Jordan’s pivotal role in hosting the refugees.
The Minister also briefed the German official on the national development plans such as the Executive Development Plan and the JRP.
He also stressed that Jordan is committed to its ambitious reform programs according to the Jordan 2025 and the Executive Development Program for the years 2016-2019.
It is worth mentioning that the Germany is the 2nd largest donor country for Jordan with financial support that amounted to around 577 million euros in 2017, including humanitarian aid to refugees and the host communities.
EUR 30 Million to build Schools in Jordan
AMMAN — The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and the German Development Bank (KfW) on Wednesday signed a grant agreement worth 30.6 million euros to complete the programme of school construction in Jordan.
The grant agreement, signed by Minister Mary Kawar and Director of the Amman Office of KfW Christian Schaub, aims at building, equipping and furnishing 10 new government schools.
Kawar was quoted, in a Planning Ministry statement to The Jordan Times, as saying that the programme is supported by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the “Madad Fund”, in order to contribute to easing the pressure on public schools receiving large numbers of students beyond the capacity as a result of the enrolment of thousands of Syrian students in government schools.
Madad was launched in 2014 as a more flexible and rapid tool to respond to changing needs and provide assistance to development projects in countries affected by the Syrian crisis. It focuses on supporting basic education, child protection, training and higher education programmes, improving access to healthcare, livelihoods and improving infrastructure in the fields of water and sanitation, according to the statement.
Kawar said that the agreement came within the implementation of the London Conference pledges, according to the statement.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Falah Omoush said the grant will contribute to improving the quality of education in the Kingdom, especially at primary schools and kindergartens.
The grant will be implemented by the KfW in partnership with the government in accordance with the agreement, the statement said.
Last year, Madad provided another grant of 20 million euros that was increased to 23.9 million to deal with burdens of hosting the Syrian refugees, especially in the education sector.
EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Fontana said that the partnership between the EU and Jordan is growing in various fields, commending the Kingdom’s humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, according to the statement.
Fonata called for increasing efforts to gather support for refugee-burdened Jordan, the statement said.
Schaub said that supporting Jordan is among the priorities of the German government and the KfW, voicing appreciation for Jordan’s humanitarian efforts.