Since 2005, ETF activities in Jordan have been relevant, in particular in the field of the provision of expertise for the implementation of sector reform and preparation for wider EC support through a sector policy support programme.

Building on its past experience, the ETF’s interventions in Jordan in 2008 contributed to reinforcing ownership of the sector reform process by TVET stakeholders (public and private), facilitating the activities of networks and the delivery of advice to policymakers, and contributing to policy learning via exchanges of best practice at local and international levels. ETF activities are strictly aligned with EU interventions and specific EC requests. The ETF supports the EC in the implementation of its policies in Jordan and the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), through the provision of input to the project/sector cycle and relevant information and analyses for policy design and programming needs.

Respecting the sector reform action plan and complementing government and donor interventions, the ETF’s intervention focused on a limited but strategic number of activities: assisting the EC Delegation in the design of a sector policy support programme (SPSP), reinforcing national capacities to implement and monitor the reform through policy learning, supporting key reform areas (National Qualifications Framework, social partnership), consolidating the Observatory Function to make it fully decision-making oriented.

In addition, the ETF has contributed to promoting Jordan’s engagement within the framework of the EuroMed Charter for Enterprise and supported Jordanian involvement at regional level under the MEDA-ETE regional project. Additionally Jordan was integrated in a project which aims to analyse the role of learning industries in education and training reforms in the Middle East and North Africa, and has initiated a project concerning female employment in the tourism and ICT sectors.

Through the provision of permanent policy advice to the Ministry of Labour from February to July 2008, the ETF’s intervention contributed to
    •    the development of a programme strategy,
    •    the development of results-oriented sector reform (action plan and mid term expenditure framework) on the Jordanian side,
    •    ensuring complementarity among donor interventions for sector reform in line with the strategic action plan and avoiding overlap,
    •    building the infrastructure for the management of sector reform (secretariat of the TVET Council, DCU),
    •    provision of support to TVET stakeholders in drafting their action plans
    •    contribution to capacity building activities of Ministry of Labour staff.

From 2008, the ETF has focused its activities in Jordan on f reinforcing national capacities to implement and monitor E-TVET sector reform. In particular, two main pillars of the T-VET sector reform have been object of capacity building reform: quality assurance (in particular through the establishment of a national qualification framework) and the role of social partners as co-governors of the T-VET sector.