AMMAN - Private schools across the capital will have the opportunity to access commercial loans to improve their facilities under a project launched by USAID on Thursday.
The four-year project, financed by the USAID and implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Association of Owners of Private Schools, entails providing technical support for 150 private schools in Amman, according to Arije Alamad, director of the Private Schools Support Programme (PSSP).
"The idea is to build the capacity of private schools and enhance their financial and administrative skills so they can better apply for loans to enhance their work and facilities," Alamad told The Jordan Times following the launch of the project yesterday.
Currently, it is difficult for private schools to get loans as they are classified as "high risk" borrowers by microfinance institutions, forcing the majority of private educational institutions to rely on tuition fees to maintain their facilities, she indicated.
In its initial phase, the project will be implemented in Amman with plans to expand coverage to other schools in other parts of the Kingdom.
"Supporting private schools is a necessity. In light of the growing population, the pressure on public schools will increase and private schools can play a role in reducing this pressure," she added.
Private schools in the Kingdom are home to over 20 per cent of the country's schoolchildren and represent about 38 per cent of the total number of schools in the country, Alamad said.
Under the project, USAID will work with microfinance institutions to develop specialised loans to finance the needs of private schools that will be selected following a field survey.
PSSP, which is implemented in the Kingdom by Consult US-Middle East and North Africa, is part of USAID's integrated strategy to support Jordan's education reform efforts, according to a USAID statement.
© Jordan Times 2011
