Today the United States and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing announced the award of 14 new contracts to 11 Jordanian firms to renovate, expand, and construct public schools in Jordan. These contracts, worth over $67 million, are part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) commitment, in partnership with the Government of Jordan, to build 25 new schools, expand 120 schools, construct 300 kindergarten classrooms, and renovate 132 schools across Jordan to improve  access to quality basic education. 

Jordan’s population has nearly doubled over the past ten years. Approximately 40 percent of the Kingdom’s ten million people are school-aged children. While primary school enrollment is virtually universal, the rapidly growing population is putting a strain on existing infrastructure. USAID works closely with the Government of Jordan to build and renovate schools in underserved areas to alleviate overcrowding, ease the effects of the refugee influx, and improve the learning environment.

In addition to infrastructure support, USAID partners with the Ministry of Education to strengthen the reading and math skills of children in the first few grades of school, provide professional development for educators, present opportunities for out-of-school and at‐risk youth, improve psychosocial school environments to reduce drop‐out rates, and expand community involvement to help children reach their full potential. 

USAID and Jordan maintain a long-standing partnership to support economic stability, strengthen democratic governance, and improve essential service delivery to meet the needs of the people of Jordan.