UNICEF’s “Learning Bridges” to support 1 m students in Jordan

21 / 09 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

The Jordanian Ministry of Education launched Learning Bridges program, an innovative blended learning program, supported by UNICEF, to help one million students recover and accelerate their learning following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Learning Bridges” is a series of weekly activities based on the core curriculum that will be distributed by schools to all students from Grades 4 to 9 to accelerate children and young people’s learning and support parents, teachers, students and communities to work together to adapt to the new normal of combining learning at home and school.

Minister of Education Dr Tayseer Al-Nuaimi affirmed “Learning Bridges is an innovative solution that enables students to recover and accelerate their learning whether schools are open, partially closed or closed. It does so by effectively bridging the link between home and school, technology and textbooks, knowledge and applied learning. Together with UNICEF, the Ministry is making this resource available for every teacher, parent and student from Grade 4 to 9 in Jordan.”

Dr Al-Nuaimi added that “learning bridges” program is complementary to DARSAK II platform, and the weekly learning activities included in the program shall enable students to apply the concepts covered by the platform practically. Such activities are in line with the weekly curriculum. These activities also help to enhance educational concepts in Curriculum and addressing previous learning gaps, indicating that the initiative enables parents and teachers to support their children in compensating for educational losses.

He further explained that education is enhanced by employing a comprehensive, cross-curricular approach, whereby students receive a printed activity sheet that connects the key learning outcomes of the four core subjects (Arabic, English, Mathematics and Science) provided for in the curriculum for that week. Every child is going to receive printed materials, links to additional on-line resources from the school that would enhance the learning process.

Dr Al-Nuaimi emphasized that students are in need of their teachers’ support, even in distance learning, to offer the necessary advice and feedback on their progress. He referred to the new online training resource available for teachers to introduce how to implement Learning Bridges and to share good practices in distance learning.

He called on teachers, parents, students and schools to employ and invest in these learning materials, so that we build together bridges between schools and homes and between textbooks, technology and knowledge, in order to achieve life-based learning. Furthermore, the practical aspect of learning is strengthened and the focus shall be on the skill, not the information.

“Children’s learning should never stop, even in the face of a global pandemic like COVID-19,” said Tanya Chapuisat, Representative, UNICEF Jordan. “UNICEF is proud to support the Ministry of Education to develop this new resource that will help recover and reimagine learning for every child.”