Transforming Education and Shaping Children’s Future: The Ejada Program

The Ejada Program is a collaborative effort between Save the Children and Alwaleed Philanthropies “Global”, aimed at creating a better school environment in Jordan. By focusing on two key outcomes: improving teacher professional wellbeing and enhancing teaching practices responsive to students’ social and emotional needs the program strives to transform education and shape a brighter future for children.

The Ejada Program has set ambitious goals to support educators and students through the implementation of sustainable teacher professional development (TPD) courses. By emphasizing creativity, innovation, and teacher wellbeing, the program adopts an evidence-based learning and implementation approach in collaboration with the MIT research lab. By ensuring governmental buy-in and scaling the findings into national policy, Ejada aims to secure long-term sustainability and effectiveness. The program operates in Jordan and spans from 2023 to 2024.

Remarkable progress has been made in enhancing teacher professional development and wellbeing. In 2023 alone, the program benefited 3,818 teachers and 95,000 children, demonstrating its substantial reach and impact.

Content Development:

In 2023, the Ejada Program marked a significant milestone with the development of 10 teacher professional development (TPD) courses, meticulously crafted to target senior educators. These courses were strategically designed to advance innovation and enhance wellbeing within school clusters, thereby laying a robust foundation for educational progress and transformation.

TPD Courses implementation:

In 2023 the TPD courses made successful implementation, reaching a wide audience of 3,370 Ministry of Education (MoE) teachers. Moreover, the program provided invaluable mentorship to 178 MoE supervisors, ensuring the effective dissemination and application of innovative teaching practices. As a result, a remarkable 84,250 children directly benefited from the Ejada program, experiencing enriched learning environments conducive to their holistic development.

Ensuring Sustainability of Ejada program:

In its commitment to sustainability, the Ejada Program secured a significant accomplishment by obtaining approval from the Ministry of Education (MoE) for the accreditation of all TPD courses. With a total of 170 accredited hours, these courses are now poised to contribute to the professional growth and advancement of teachers within the MoE ranking system. Additionally, the allocation of 17 dedicated staff members at the MoE headquarters underscores the program's commitment to future implementation and expansion across all MoE schools, ensuring the enduring impact of Ejada's initiatives.

Furthermore, Ejada's efforts extended to facilitating the activation of the MoE e-learning teacher platform, thereby enhancing accessibility to quality education throughout Jordan. This strategic initiative underscores Ejada's commitment to leveraging technology for broader outreach and ensuring equitable access to educational resources across diverse communities.

Research and Impact:

Lastly, the program's dedication to evidence-based practices and continuous improvement was exemplified through its research and impact initiatives. With the selection of MIT as a research partner and the initiation of a Randomized Control Trial, Ejada embarked on a rigorous evaluation of its program's effectiveness. The findings from this research endeavor, expected to be published in 2024, will further contribute to the advancement of education in Jordan, guiding future interventions and enhancing outcomes for teachers and students alike.

"Ejada" project represents remarkable efforts in improving education and building a bright future for children in Jordan. By supporting teachers and equipping them with the necessary skills and tools, the project aims to bring about a transformation in the field of education and improve outcomes in the long run. With its ongoing efforts to expand training and enhance educational technology, "Ejada" has the potential to become a model for future education, opening the door to new and innovative opportunities for community development and educational enhancement in Jordan.