Amman, Aug. 11 (Petra) -- The Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday approved, by majority vote, the 2026 Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission Law, as submitted by the government, with several amendments aimed at strengthening oversight, transparency and the quality of education and training.
During a session chaired by Speaker Mazen Qadi and attended by members of the government, lawmakers approved Articles 7 through 22, having endorsed Articles 1 through 6 last Sunday.
Under an approved provision, the chairperson and members of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission will serve four-year terms, renewable only once. The House rejected a Parliamentary Education Committee proposal to remove the "only once" restriction.
The House also approved a new provision requiring the Commission to prepare and publish, every two years, a report on the state of education and training in the Kingdom, subject to approval by the Commission's council.
Another provision bars the Commission's chairperson and members, as well as their spouses and first-degree relatives, from owning or holding shares in Jordanian or foreign educational, vocational, technical training or higher education institutions operating in the Kingdom.
The law establishes a unified national framework for accreditation and quality assurance across the education and training sector, covering public and private schools and kindergartens, higher education institutions, and vocational and technical education and training institutions.
The law also expands the Commission's mandate to recognize non-Jordanian educational institutions, including schools and universities, equate certificates and qualifications issued by them, and certify educational documents and qualifications inside and outside the Kingdom.
The legislation seeks to standardize accreditation and quality assurance procedures, integrate related policies, strengthen monitoring and evaluation, and improve the performance of education and training institutions in line with national and international standards.
The government approved the law's justifications on Jan. 25. The legislation complements the draft law regulating professional work, which governs the licensing of vocational training providers, licensing graduates to practice their professions and accrediting trainers. The new law focuses on accreditation, quality assurance and monitoring the alignment of education and training programs with labor market needs.
The legislation is intended to support the Economic Modernization Vision and the public sector modernization roadmap by enhancing the quality of education, improving learning outcomes and strengthening the competitiveness of Jordanian graduates locally, regionally and internationally.
The law is also expected to contribute to improving the standing of Jordanian universities in international rankings, strengthening pathways between different forms of education and training, and enhancing the credibility and international recognition of Jordanian qualifications.
//Petra// AJ
