Jordan

2025 developments at a glance

🌎 Socio-political and regional context: Jordan continues to operate in a challenging regional environment shaped by the war in Gaza, wider Middle East instability, refugee pressures and climate-related vulnerabilities. In 2025, domestic political developments included the formation of a new government and the continued implementation of national reform priorities. Water scarcity, demographic pressures and refugee inflows remain major long-term challenges.

🏛️ Economic and policy reform: The Economic Modernisation Vision 2022–2033 remains the central framework guiding economic transformation, job creation and private-sector development. Employment objectives are increasingly linked to productivity, skills development, female labour-force participation and green growth. The labour market framework was further strengthened through recent labour law amendments introducing stronger protections for women and non-standard workers, as well as new regulations on flexible and remote work.

🎓 Education reform: Jordan continues implementing reforms under the National Strategy for Human Resource Development 2016–2025, while preparing the next phase of education reform aligned with the Education Sector Vision 2033. Key priorities include improving learning outcomes, teacher development, inclusion and system governance. A national teacher licensing framework is being rolled out, aiming to strengthen professional standards across the education system.

🏫 Technical vocational education and training (TVET): The National TVET Strategy 2023–2027 continues to guide reforms focused on governance, quality, labour market relevance and the attractiveness of vocational pathways. Recent efforts include strengthening the National Qualifications Framework, improving provider accreditation and quality assurance, promoting BTEC qualifications and expanding vocational pathways aligned with labour market needs. However, participation in VET remains low compared with general education streams.

✅ TVET governance: Jordan continues consolidating governance arrangements through the newly established Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, which has assumed responsibilities previously held by the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission. Reforms aim to improve coordination, strengthen accreditation systems and enhance links between qualifications, quality assurance and labour market demand.

🛠️ Work-based learning (WBL): Jordan is gradually expanding work-based learning through vocational schools, the Vocational Training Corporation and employer partnerships. The development of a national framework for work-based learning is underway to support more structured apprenticeship and dual-training models, improve employer engagement and strengthen transitions from education to employment.

💼 Labour market challenges: Employment remains low and unemployment persistently high, particularly for young people and women. Female labour-force participation remains among the lowest worldwide, while youth unemployment exceeds 46%. Informal employment continues to affect a large share of workers. The National Employment Programme (Tashgeel), labour market reforms and social protection measures seek to address these challenges, but job creation remains insufficient relative to demand.

👦 👧 Youth in focus: Young people continue to face significant difficulties in the transition from education to work. NEET rates remain high at around 30%, while youth unemployment remains among the highest in the region. Jordan participates in the EU-funded Y‑NEET regional initiative, which seeks to improve services, policies and outreach mechanisms for young people not in education, employment or training.

💻 Digital skills development: Jordan continues investing in digital education and skills development through national digitalisation strategies, the Darsak platform, teacher digital training and expanded ICT curricula. Efforts are also underway to integrate digital technologies and digital pedagogy into vocational education and training. Despite progress, significant digital skills gaps remain among learners and adults.

🌿 Green skills development: The green transition remains a strategic priority under the Economic Modernisation Vision. Vocational institutions are increasingly offering programmes linked to renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric and hybrid vehicles, water management and environmental technologies. Green skills are becoming more prominent across education and training policies as Jordan responds to climate, water and sustainability challenges.

Priorities for 2026

👉 Advance the development of a national concept of VET excellence, supporting innovation, quality, employer engagement and labour-market responsiveness across vocational institutions.

👉 Strengthen the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework, including quality assurance, recognition of prior learning and stronger progression pathways between education sectors.

👉 Expand and improve work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities, strengthening cooperation between training providers and employers.

👉 Support the modernisation of career guidance and public employment services, improving school-to-work transitions and labour market inclusion for young people and women.

👉 Enhance the effectiveness of EU-supported education and employment reforms through stronger monitoring systems, labour-market intelligence and evidence-based policymaking.