Jordan 2024

Key takeaways

In 2024, VET in Jordan continues to offer accessible and supportive learning, particularly through initial VET (IVET) programmes for students aged 16–18. These programmes are widely available and help learners progress and complete their studies. However, VET is still often viewed as a fallback option, and opportunities to move from VET into higher education remain limited. Continuing VET (CVET) is valued by participants but is less accessible overall, especially for adults already in the workforce. The absence of mechanisms to recognise non-formal and informal learning adds to the difficulty adults face in accessing further education.

Young learners in VET continue to struggle with basic skills, particularly in reading, mathematics, and science. Assessments tend to emphasise theory over practical competence. In contrast, adult learners often perform better in areas like digital literacy and basic IT. VET graduates in Jordan tend to have strong employment prospects, supported by close cooperation between training providers and employers. Sector councils play a key role in aligning training with labour market needs, and career guidance services support learners – although with uneven coverage across sectors.

The governance of VET in Jordan is marked by solid quality assurance mechanisms and broad stakeholder involvement. School-level leadership is strong, but centralised decision-making often limits responsiveness to local needs. International collaboration – such as student and staff exchanges—remains underdeveloped. Financial and material resources are generally adequate, though not always distributed evenly across specialisations. Programmes with donor support, such as those in tourism, are typically better equipped than others. Infrastructure quality is mixed, and staffing has become a growing concern, particularly in recruiting and retaining qualified teachers and trainers.

Access to learning

Monitoring in the area of access to and participation to learning helps countries assess the extent to which initial VET, continuing VET and other learning opportunities are accessible and attractive to all learners, regardless of their individual backgrounds or reasons for participating. The data also reflects how well learners can expect to progress through and graduate from these learning opportunities.

Opportunities for lifelong learning: access and participation

In 2024, VET in Jordan and especially initial VET for students aged 16–18, continues to serve learners effectively. IVET programmes are widely accessible, but VET is still often viewed as a fallback option for students with lower academic performance. This perception persists despite the fact that VET graduates tend to have good employment prospects and are in demand in the labour market.

In comparison, continuing VET (CVET) is far less accessible or appealing – particularly for adults already in the workforce. Learners also face significant challenges when trying to move between vocational and general education, and progression to higher

While around a quarter of vocational graduates continue on to community colleges, the system still lacks flexible pathways that would allow more learners to advance. Policies and mechanisms to support progression – both within and beyond VET- are limited. Coordination between the different Ministries responsible for education and training is also weak, leading to a fragmented system that is often out of step with learners’ needs and aspirations.

On the other hand, lifelong learning opportunities through active labour market policies (ALMPs) and in-company training are more widely available. These programmes are popular with job seekers and help support employment, but they are not formally integrated into the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). As a result, they are often not recognised as part of an individual’s official learning path.

In 2024, the VET system of Jordan provides accessible initial training and supports good employment outcomes for many graduates. However, limited options for adult learners, a lack of flexibility between education tracks, and the continued absence of recognition for non-formal learning still hold the system back. Lifelong learning opportunities do exist, but they are not fully integrated into the wider education framework. Closing these gaps – through better coordination and more inclusive policies – will be key to building a system that truly supports learning throughout life.

The Torino Process is a regular review of national systems of vocational education and training as well as adult education. It is designed to analyse the ways in which national VET systems (including adult education) address the challenges of human capital development in a lifelong learning perspective. It was established by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 and has been carried out in partner countries in Southeastern Europe, Turkey, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean ever since.

Monitoring in the context of the Torino Process describes the extent to which countries deliver on their commitments to learners in support of their learning through life (lifelong learning - LLL) in three major areas of policy and system performance: access to learning, quality of learning, and system organisation.

Quality of learning

Quality and relevance of learning is the area of monitoring that identifies how successfully the VET system provides basic skills and key competences to both young and adult learners. It highlights the relevance of VET programmes to the world of work and how effectively VET graduates transition into the labour market. Additionally, it monitors efforts to promote excellence across key domains, including pedagogy, professional development, programme content, governance, and social inclusion, as well as the openness of the VET system to innovation in response to the evolving needs of learners and labour markets.

Lifelong learning outcomes: quality and relevance, excellence and innovation

In 2024, many young learners in VET in Jordan continue to face challenges in developing strong basic skills and key competences. International and national assessments show that performance in reading, mathematics, and science remains below average, and the share of underperforming students has increased since the last monitoring round. Student assessment also continues to emphasise theoretical knowledge over practical skills, limiting the system’s ability to support applied learning effectively.

By contrast, adults in Jordan tend to show stronger results in areas such as digital literacy and basic IT skills, often performing better than their peers in other countries. Although many young learners continue to struggle with foundational skills, VET graduates overall tend to achieve strong employment outcomes. This is largely due to close collaboration between training providers and employers, who help ensure that VET programmes are aligned with labour market needs. Currently, 21 sector councils are actively involved in shaping curricula, helping to make training more relevant and practical. These partnerships have played a key role in improving the employability of graduates, even as challenges in student learning persist.

The Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC) has supported the development of national standards for work-based learning. These represent an important step forward, though implementation in real-world settings remains limited. Career guidance services also contribute to employability, but their effectiveness varies by sector. In fields such as tourism and hospitality, the connection between training and job opportunities is more established than in others.

Digitalisation is not yet fully embedded in the VET curriculum, but progress has been made since the previous monitoring round. Greater availability of ICT equipment and improved infrastructure have supported this trend. Themes related to the green transition are also gaining attention, particularly in adult education programmes. While the system is generally responsive to short-term labour market needs, it still lags behind in adapting to technology-driven change and preparing learners for emerging skill demands.

In 2024, Jordan continues to face challenges in building strong foundational skills among young VET learners, while adults show stronger performance in areas such as IT and literacy. High employability among VET graduates reflects effective employer engagement, although work-based learning standards still need more consistent implementation. Progress on digital and green skills is under way but remains uneven. To stay relevant, the system will need to keep modernising its curricula, strengthen practical learning, and ensure that all learners are supported on their path to employment.

System organisation

ystem organisation is the area of monitoring that captures performance across various domains of management and administration. It examines whether practitioners and leaders have access to data and evidence to support informed decision-making, the level of stakeholder involvement in VET governance, the quality and capacity of staff in leadership positions, and the degree of internationalisation. Additionally, monitoring the allocation of human and financial resources to the VET system helps assess whether these resources effectively support teaching, training, and learning.

System organisation: management and resourcing

In 2024, VET system management in Jordan continues to show uneven performance across key areas. Although some progress has been made since 2023, internationally comparable data for planning and decision-making remains relatively scarce. Stakeholders have formal opportunities to engage in policy processes, and national quality assurance mechanisms are in place – but the actual reporting of performance data still needs improvement. School-level quality assurance has strengthened over the past year, with procedures now more widely applied in practice.

Leadership across VET institutions is generally seen as strong, but centralisation continues to limit the flexibility of school leaders. In many cases, they must seek approval from higher levels before making decisions, which slows down responsiveness to local needs. Another area where the system lags behind is the area of internationalisation. Opportunities for student exchange, staff mobility, and cross-country learning are rare, which leaves untapped potential for learning from peers abroad.

Financial and material resources are broadly sufficient, and most learners have access to basic training materials. However, the quality of these resources varies. Some specialisations – such as tourism – have benefited from targeted donor support and enjoy more modern equipment. Others still rely on outdated materials. A full review and update of teaching content is needed to ensure all programmes meet current learning and labour market standards.

Human resources are an increasing challenge in 2024. Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers is difficult, and staffing gaps are starting to affect the quality and consistency of training. The state of infrastructure also varies widely. Some providers have been able to renovate facilities with donor or private support, but many others continue to operate in ageing buildings. While financial resources are generally well managed, investment is still needed to bring infrastructure up to standard across the board.

In 2024, Jordan’s VET system continues to face challenges in managing data, teacher recruitment, and infrastructure gaps. While leadership capacity is strong and quality assurance has improved, centralised structures slow down decision-making at the local level. Access to funding and materials is generally good, but uneven across regions and specialisations. International collaboration is still limited. To build a more responsive and resilient system, better use of data, balanced investment, and stronger support for school-level leadership and staffing will be essential.

Promoting access and participation in opportunities for lifelong learning

Supporting quality and relevance of lifelong learning

Index of system performance

International comparability of performance results

In addition to findings on system performance, the Torino Process monitoring also provides insight into how internationally comparable the results of each country are, how much they may be affected by bias, and how critically countries assess their own systems when reporting for external review. This is possible because the monitoring tracks where data comes from and what type of evidence is used in each case – including for Jordan.

In 2024, the availability of internationally comparable data on Jordan’s VET system has improved. The results are also considered to be at a somewhat lower risk of bias than in many other countries, as a smaller share of indicators relies on self-assessment. Moreover, Jordan tends to take a more self-critical approach when evaluating its VET and lifelong learning systems—offering a more cautious and reflective view than is common among other countries in the Torino Process.