In-Teach Leadership Forum for Educators concludes

Feb 7, 2005

AMMAN (JT) - HRH Princess Basma said education constitutes a major element in the agendas of local and global development due to its direct link to human capacity building, which should be directed towards building a knowledge-based community, achieving economic development and alleviating poverty. Her remarks were made at the closing ceremony of the In-Teach Leadership Forum for Educators, held at the Movenpick Hotel Dead Sea. The Princess stressed that the individual should be at the centre of the education process and that attention should be directed towards promoting creativity, work values, a creative response to natural and human surroundings and a solid relationship between the education system and the socio-economic matrix. The forum is the initial step in a medium-term project that seeks to provide meaningful and internationally recognised insights into the professional development of teachers in the Arab world. The Institute of International Education and In-Teach founder, Serra Kirdar, commended Jordan's commitment to all aspects of educational reform saying that the Kingdom was chosen as the venue due to its achievements in the educational arena. The initial Leadership Forum for Educators focused on three fundamental and interrelated components: Interdisciplinary student learning, professional development of teachers, and educational leadership for school improvement. Participants included 39 educators from eight public and three private schools, in addition to one UNRWA school, and five officials from the Ministry of Education. They were divided into small working groups to share their ideas and exchange experiences. The outcomes of the forum included: Leadership success stories, best practices and recommendations for teacher development requirements, including certification, which will serve as a guide for future leadership and teacher training strategies. Minister of Education Khalid Touqan said the forum addressed educational reforms at the level of schools, accountability, teaching methodology improvement and leadership. In-Teach was inspired by Kirdar, in partnership with the Institute of International Education Centre for Leadership Excellence (IIE). The forum was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Jordanian Private Schools Cultural and Educational Council, and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development. It was funded by private and Arab donors including Sami Sindi of the Crescent Venture Partners and Sheikh Tarek Ahmed Juffali's Nour El Shorouk Institution. Also attending the closing ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Talal, Senator Laila Sharaf, Minister of Higher Education Issam Zabalawi, IIE President Allan Goodman and Colin Brock, a senior research fellow in comprehensive and international education at the University of Oxford.