Transforming education: the power of ICT policies - Commonwealth ...

apple increasingly engaging various stakeholders in determining the direction, design and delivery of education in
Jordan as opposed to an approach that effectively limits public and private sector participation in education
direction-setting and policy level decision-making;
apple utilizing technology as an integral part of the education and learning process and as a tool to support/enhance
learning, thereby enabling the effective and rapid acquisition of knowledge and skills for the new knowledge
economy requirements;
apple increasing administrative cost-effectiveness through increasing the use of computers and technology;
apple utilizing the high-speed broadband learning network to provide increased access to learners at lower costs,
reducing maintenance and administrative costs of technology in education and extending the life-cycle of
technology through re-use of older computers as thin-client terminals in schools.
In 2006, the Ministry established the Policy and Strategic Planning Secretariat (PSPS) comprised of personnel from
within MoE, supported by international consultants sponsored under the ERfKE program. The Secretariat reported
directly to senior MoE offi cials and was responsible for determining, based on internal and external consultations,
the core policy categories for detailed policy articulation, including:
apple Student Access, Equity and Mobility;
apple Student Achievement;
apple Internal Effi ciency, Effectiveness and Quality;
apple Relevance, Responsiveness and External Effi ciency;
apple Public Awareness, Recognition and Respect;
apple Decentralization and Devolution of Authority; and
apple System Sustainability.
Based on these categories the Ministry engaged in internal and external discussions and formulated policy at
three levels – (i) the intended direction of what is to be achieved – strategic level; (ii) how is the strategic policy
to be achieved and who will do the work – operational level; (iii) identify the implementation steps and the
organizational and individual work unit tasks – implementation level. Based on these guidelines, policy was
formulated for the above seven categories.
Prior to the formulation of these overriding policies, two areas of policy were documented in detail in order to
guide ERfKE I implementation and also subsequent policy deliberations. These were the Curriculum and Learning
Assessment Framework (2004) and the Information and Communication Technology Policy (2004). In addition, the
Ministry completed several detailed studies related to information and communications technology and these
provided considerable guidance in its ICT policy formulation and policy review process. 30 Also integral to the
policy dialogue was the promulgation of National Teacher Professional Standards (2006) which emphasised the
importance of ICT in teaching careers, the teaching-learning processes, and the integration of ICT in curriculum
content .
Implementation Framework
Overview
The National Education Strategy guided the entire process of policy formulation, planning priorities, and the
establishment of target indicators. The strategy approach includes the three levels of policy referred to above
(strategic, operational and implementation). It articulates each policy area by cross-referencing all statements
to: (a) the Education Law; (b) the National Education Strategy (2006); and (c) existing MoE policies. The
process of annual progress assessment is based on monitoring against four core management functions: (i)
Programme planning, design and development; (ii) Budget planning and fi nancial management; (iii) Human
30 Draft ICT in Education Policy, September 2004; Computerization Strategy for MoE Schools and Data Centre, March 2005.
Case Study: Jordan | 107