Tawjihi, Teacher and Medicine .. Mahafzah Reveals Key Education Reform Files

Al-Taj News –

Monitoring – Ghada Al-Khouli.

Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Dr. Azmi Mahafzah said that reforming the education system in Jordan requires reviewing a number of aspects, including the General Secondary Education Certificate system, technical and vocational education, and linking education outcomes to the needs of the labor market.

Mahafzah explained in a televised interview on the “Friendly Fire” program, hosted by colleague Dr. Hani Al-Badri and monitored by “Al-Taj News,” that the experience of the new Tawjihi system proved that dividing students into 4 fields is better than 6 fields, noting that the Tawjihi has been subjected to criticism and demands for changing it for decades, and that previous attempts at change were, in part, merely formal.

He added that one aspect of education reform is increasing the number of years of secondary education, considering that two years are insufficient, pointing out that secondary education systems in various countries around the world range between 3 and 4 years.

Regarding medical education, Mahafzah pointed to the existence of unemployment among doctors, stressing that Jordan does not have the capacity to train more than 1,000 doctors annually, at a time when it needs specialist doctors, and that most doctors who train abroad remain there.

He affirmed that he hopes to find a way to increase the number of students studying medicine inside Jordan instead of going abroad, explaining that a student in the health field who chooses to study medicine in Egypt must successfully pass physics.

Regarding universities, Mahafzah said that there is currently no change to the names of university presidents, and there is no justification for change, noting that the employment rate at some private universities reaches 100%.

He noted that university rankings should be a means of achieving the goal of development, rather than the ranking itself becoming the goal.

Regarding technical education, Mahafzah affirmed that there is a major drive toward technical education in line with the requirements of the labor market, pointing out that His Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, is interested in all aspects of education, particularly vocational and technical education.

He explained that the new name of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development contributed to creating greater coordination between school and university education.

He also praised the role of the National Center for Curriculum Development, explaining that it plays an important role, and that a new task has been added to it, namely evaluating examinations.

Regarding the General Secondary Education Examination, Mahafzah pointed to cases of cheating in the Tawjihi, stressing that in every session a number of students are barred because of this.

Regarding teachers, he said that the teacher in Jordan is “in good condition,” but deserves more, stressing the importance of the role he plays in the educational process.

Regarding educational platforms, Mahafzah expressed his dissatisfaction with them, stressing that the school is the foundation and the source of education for the student, and pointing out that no educational platform is allowed to provide teaching without first obtaining a license.