US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6754

UNCLAS AMMAN 006754 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ECA/PE/V/M (MBENSON, AMOYLAN, DTHOMPSON); NEA/PPD (DBENZE); 
NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL, JO 
SUBJECT:  FY 05 MRP:"ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL 
EDUCATION ISSUES," FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 18, 2005 - PROGRAM 
EVALUATION 
 
 
1. FOLLOWING IS THE EVDB EVALUATION OF SUBJECT PROGRAM: 
 
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT): 
: THE FOLLOWING DATA IS IN A FIXED FORMAT WHICH ENABLES 
: AUTOMATED PROCESSING IN WASHINGTON AND SHOULD NOT BE 
: EDITED EXCEPT BY MEANS OF THE POST-EVDB SOFTWARE. 
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB 
VERSION: 3.0.7 
POST-EMAIL: ALDADAWM@STATE.GOV 
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS AMMAN 
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2887 
EXPORT-TYPE: PROJECT EVALUATION 
START PROJECT-EVAL-REC: 
POST-PROJ-ID: 186 
ECA-PROJ-NO: E/VM-2005-0014 
PROJ-NAME: ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL ISSUES - JORDAN 
CPTHEME: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING 
START MEMO IMPACT: 
MS. KHITAM AL-HOFAH AL-UTAIBI BENEFITED GREATLY FROM HER 
PROGRAM. 
SHE APPRECIATED THE DISCUSSION IN WASHINGTON, DC ON 
FEDERALISM AND DECENTRALIZATION. IN PARTICULAR, SHE THOUGHT 
JORDANIAN EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE 
POSSIBILITIES OF DECENTRALIZING JORDAN'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 
SHE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THE PROGRAM DID NOT COVER MUCH ON 
UTILIZING INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL IN 
EDUCATION. IN PARTICULAR, THE SCHEDULED VISITS IN SAN 
FRANCISCO WITH APPLE COMPUTER AND INTEL WERE CANCELED. SHE 
HOPES THAT ANY FUTURE BILATERAL COLLABORATION OR MEETINGS ON 
EDUCATION CAN COVER THIS TOPIC. 
SHE IS VERY KEEN TO FOLLOW-UP WITH THE U.S. ON JOINT 
EDUCATION COLLABORATION. HER SPECIFIC IDEAS INCLUDE: 
1) MUTUAL MEETINGS, VISITS, AND COOPERATION BETWEEN U.S. AND 
JORDANIAN AGENCIES THAT INCLUDE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, NON- 
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND PRIVATE COMPANIES. 
2) INVITING AMERICAN OFFICIALS FOR LECTURES OR MEETINGS IN 
JORDAN, OR HOLDING MEETINGS THROUGH VIDEO-CONFERENCES. 
3) THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION IN JORDAN SHOULD CLOSELY STUDY 
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA (ONE OF THE PLACES VISITED IN THE 
PROGRAM) AND ITS EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE OF THE 
SIMILARITIES WITH JORDAN IN TERMS OF SIZE OF POPULATION, 
TEACHING STAFF, AND STUDENTS. 
END MEMO IMPACT: 
START MEMO AUDIENCE-REACHED: 
MS. KHITAM AL-HOFAH AL-UTAIBI IS THE HEAD OF DIVISION OF THE 
"EDUCATION REFORM FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY" COMPONENT II AT 
THE OFFICE OF TECHNICAL AFFAIRS OF THE MINISTRY OF 
EDUCATION. SHE IS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND MOTIVATED AND IS 
VERY INTERESTED IN FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES WITH THE U.S. IN THE 
EDUCATION SECTOR. 
END MEMO AUDIENCE-REACHED: 
ECA-PROGRAM-OFFICE-RATING: 0 
START MEMO ECA-PROG-OFFICE-COMMENT: 
 
END MEMO ECA-PROG-OFFICE-COMMENT: 
PROGRAM-AGENCY-RATING: 0 
START MEMO PROG-AGENCY-COMMENT: 
 
END MEMO PROG-AGENCY-COMMENT: 
END PROJECT-EVAL-REC: 
 
HENZEL#