Childhood Program/The National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA) - Jordan

Program Image

Program

  • Type of Program: Policy Think Tank
  • Funding Sources: Government and World Bank
  • Presenter: Lara Hussein (Programme Coordinator, Childhood & Health)
  • Address: Fawzi Al-Mulqi St., Jabal Amman
    Amman, Jordan 11183
  • Telephone: 009626-4623490
  • Fax: 009626-4623591
  • Email: [email protected]

Program Purpose

NCFA, through its collaboration and coordination with Governmental/Non-Governmental Organizations, aims to: a) ensure the rights of Jordanian children; b) strengthen capacities of families and communities to meet the physical, social/emotional, and cognitive needs of young children; expand access to integrated early child development services throughout Jordan; and d) improve the quality of services provided to young children.

Program Description

Presently, the Childhood program is facilitating and coordinating work on the following projects:

  • Prioritization and Operationalization of the Early Childhood Development Strategy: In direct coordination with the national Early Childhood Development (ECD) stakeholders, the program is working on prioritization and operationalization of the ECD national strategy adopted at a national conference in year 2000.
  • National Pre-school Education Project: In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the program is working towards the implementation of this project that will produce a curriculum framework for kindergarten, training guidelines for teachers and supervisors, guidelines for parents, and KG licensing and practice standards.
  • The Education Reform for the Knowledge Economy: Component Four on the Promotion of Learning Readiness through Early Childhood Education": It's a five year project that is being implemented by the Ministry of Education with a loan from the World Bank. NCFA advocated for including this component on ECE within ERFKE's components and was part of developing the implementation plans.
  • Education for All (EFA): Jordan is working towards achieving EFA goals by the year 2015. One of the major goals is to expand and improve early childhood care and education programs. The Childhood Program at NCFA is leading the task force developed by MOE, which includes UNICEF and NGOs, and was established to prepare the early childhood care and education component of the National EFA Plan Document.
  • The National Plan of Action for Children: The Childhood Program at NCFA has started the process of developing a National Plan of Action for Children. It has formulated a National Steering Committee from different related Governmental and Non-governmental institutions for this purpose. This work is being done in coordination with the Ministry of Planning and UNICEF. The plan will be based on the major areas of work identified in the "World Fit for Children" document adopted in the United National Special Session for Children, held in New York in May 2002.
  • Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU): The Childhood Program facilitates and coordinates a Regional program for the development of ECD leaders in Jordan. This is a World Bank funded project that is implemented by Victoria University.

Most Unique Program Feature

This NCFA program is chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, and the board consists of thirty members who are appointed in accordance with a decision by the Council of Ministers on recommendation by the Prime Minister. Such membership represents the line ministries, governmental and non-governmental institutions and agencies that are concerned with family affairs and have interest and experience in this field

The Childhood program's strategic approaches are as follows:

  • Establish and activate a national early childhood development strategy.
  • Achieve harmony, consistency and integration between the national strategy for ECD, on the one hand; and the national plans and policies and their emerging procedures, as well as their enforcing legislation, on the other.
  • Identify the priority needs of the Jordanian children, and launch feasible initiatives.
    Develop working methodologies for the media, awareness and educational guidance regarding childhood related issues.

Edited by Michael Kalinowski