Amman, Sept. 6 (Petra) - A new corporate social responsibility initiative will fund the construction of 30 model schools across the Kingdom over the coming year, following a Sunday directive by the Cabinet for the JD40 million project.

The decision builds on the recent completion of 86 schools worth JD145 million, which replaced 61 rented facilities and shifted 22 double-shift schools to single sessions for the new school year.

The Cabinet also approved measures to build five technical schools worth JD25 million and awarded 390 maintenance contracts covering 720 schools nationwide.

The Cabinet green-lit a new National Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, drafted by the National Council for Family Affairs. Covering children from pregnancy through age five, the policy establishes an integrated framework spanning healthcare, nutrition, early learning, and protection.

Aligned with the Economic Modernization Vision and international standards, the policy aims to improve family well-being, expand childcare access, and boost women’s economic participation.

To strengthen regional energy cooperation, the Cabinet accepted a plan to supply Lebanon with natural gas via Jordan’s floating storage and regasification unit in Aqaba, utilizing transit pipelines through Syria. The mechanism mirrors Jordan’s ongoing gas supply to Syria.

Domestically, the Cabinet extended customs duty and sales tax exemptions on sea freight costs for an additional six months to protect local consumers from rising global shipping prices. It also approved energy-efficiency upgrades for government buildings, expected to reduce state energy bills by 20 percent starting 2027.

In higher education, the Cabinet approved updated bylaws governing end-of-service bonuses and savings funds across four state universities, the University of Jordan, Al al-Bayt University, Balqa Applied University, and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). It also amended academic staff regulations at JUST regarding financial entitlements for faculty on sabbatical leave.

Separately, the Cabinet accepted the retirement of Mahmoud Bani Hassan, Director-General of the House of Representatives Speaker's Office, and Salem Qudah, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance.

//Petra// HA