Karak, Feb. 10 (Petra) -- Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani announced on Tuesday the decisions taken by the Cabinet during its meeting held in Karak Governorate.

At a press conference following the meeting, Momani said the Cabinet approved a package of financial measures totaling about JD 100 million to support public universities and address accumulated dues from previous years.

He said the decisions aim to enable public universities to continue fulfilling their academic and research roles, strengthen their financial stability, and allow them to direct resources toward qualitative and sustainable development of academic programs.

In this context, the Cabinet approved covering outstanding amounts owed by the Ministry of Education to public universities for scholarships granted to the children of ministry teachers. The amounts, totaling JD 46 million, will be paid during the 2026–28 academic years.

The Cabinet also approved the government’s assumption of 50 percent of outstanding dues owed by public universities to the Social Security Corporation, amounting to JD 47 million, to be paid over the next three years.

In addition, the Cabinet endorsed the decision of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission to exempt public universities from their outstanding financial obligations to the commission, estimated at about JD 24 million.

Momani said the Cabinet decision requires public universities to take clear and practical steps to enhance financial discipline, address stagnant and saturated academic programs by gradually suspending admissions to specializations with limited demand or weak alignment with labor market needs, and meet international accreditation standards.

Universities are also required to restructure and update curricula and transform programs into specialized or applied tracks with added value, while redirecting academic resources toward national priority technical, applied and digital specializations to enhance employment opportunities and supply the economy with highly qualified professionals.

The Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission will monitor universities’ compliance with these measures and submit semiannual reports to the Cabinet on progress.

Momani said Mu'tah University’s share of the total estimated amount under these measures stands at about JD 13.5 million.

As part of government efforts to address damage caused by recent weather conditions, the Cabinet decided to proceed with implementing a new package of stormwater drainage projects for municipalities.

He noted that Prime Minister Jafar Hassan had previously directed immediate action to rehabilitate infrastructure damaged by floods that affected several areas of the Kingdom, particularly in the south, and instructed the Ministry of Finance to allocate JD 10 million from the emergency expenditures fund to support infrastructure improvements in affected governorates.

Within the framework of digital protection, Momani said the Cabinet approved the formation of a national committee to protect children and adolescents from risks associated with the use of social media platforms and the internet.

He said the committee will recommend necessary measures in coordination with relevant authorities, study regulatory and technical options for managing children’s access to social media platforms, and assess the most suitable implementation model in terms of effectiveness, cost and technical feasibility, in line with the national legal framework. The committee will also develop practical implementation mechanisms, to be applied by relevant entities, including internet service providers and digital platforms, within a defined timeframe.

Momani added that the committee will also focus on awareness and capacity building through educational programs targeting children, adolescents and parents, promoting safe and responsible use of digital platforms. This includes proposals to integrate digital safety concepts into the educational environment in coordination with the Ministry of Education.

He said the committee will further prepare phased and continuous national awareness campaigns, in cooperation with the Ministry of Government Communication, to raise public awareness of risks related to social media use and ways to prevent them, ensuring balanced and professional outreach to all segments of society.

//Petra// AJ