Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In Jordan, the official entry age for pre-primary education is 4 years old. While not compulsory, the national legal framework guarantees one year of free pre-primary education, since 2016, according to UIS. From 2002 to 2024, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary education rose from 29.69% to 39.51%.
Governance
In Jordan, pre-primary education is formally divided into two stages, with the official entry age set at four years old. Based on this age threshold, Kindergarten 1 (KG1, age 4) fall outside the formal education system and are predominantly provided and financed by private actors, while being licensed and regulated by the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD). In contrast, Kindergarten 2 (KG2, age 5) constitutes the final year of pre-primary education and is delivered within the formal education system under the authority of the Ministry of Education (MoE), which acts as both the provider and regulator of public KG2 classes. Accordingly, MoE is responsible for financing public KG2 provision through the national education budget, as well as for setting curriculum frameworks, quality standards, teacher qualification requirements, and quality assurance mechanisms.
Tuition-free status
Public pre-primary education is tuition-free for one year since 2016 according to national laws and policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is the main funding source for governorates and municipalities, operating under laws like the Decentralization Law (2015) and the Municipalities Law (2021). Funds are mainly allocated through central government transfers, including unconditional block grants based on population, poverty, and geography; conditional grants for specific projects requiring MoF or Ministry of Interior approval; and a small share of national tax revenues.
However, there is no evidence of a formal intergovernmental fiscal transfer mechanism that channels pre-primary education funds from the Ministry of Education to autonomous subnational governments. Public funding for Kindergarten 2 (KG2) is budgeted centrally within the Ministry of Education and executed through its regional Directorates of Education, which operate as administrative field units rather than independent local governments and have limited fiscal autonomy.
2. Education resources to institutions
According to Jordan’s Education Strategic Plan 2018-2022, the Ministry of Education identifies overcrowding, double-shift schooling, the expansion of rented school buildings, and land shortages as major infrastructure challenges, largely driven by rapid population growth and the influx of Syrian refugees. In response, the strategy sets out a clear direction to expand education infrastructure and learning spaces in high-density and refugee-hosting areas in order to increase the absorptive capacity of the public education system. Within this framework, expanding access to Kindergarten 2 (KG2) is prioritized. The plan calls for the expansion of KG2 provision across both public and private sectors, with an emphasis on establishing additional KG2 classrooms in densely populated and land-constrained areas. At the same time, it outlines measures to address capacity pressures caused by refugee inflows by creating additional learning spaces.
The plan links the expansion of physical capacity with a strong emphasis on teacher professional development, calling for pre-service and in-service training that promotes child‑centred and play‑based pedagogies, early literacy and numeracy, and classroom management strategies tailored to diverse learners. It also highlights inclusive education as a cross‑cutting principle, encouraging teachers to adapt instruction and learning environments to meet the needs of children with disabilities, non‑Jordanian and refugee children, and those from disadvantaged socio‑economic backgrounds.
Support for children with disabilities
Public schools selected to host children with disabilities may receive support for classroom rehabilitation, physical adaptations, and the provision of specialised furniture and learning materials to enable inclusive learning environments. These measures are implemented within the framework of the Ministry of Education’s inclusive education policies and are often supported through coordinated initiatives with development partners. The focus on physical accessibility and classroom readiness reflects an investment-based approach, whereby equity is pursued by adapting specific institutions to meet the needs of children with disabilities.
3. Education resources to students and families
No evidence was found of formal financial support mechanisms administered by the Ministry of Education for pre-primary education.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Supervised by the Ministry of Social Development, the National Aid Fund (NAF) was established under Law No. 36 of 1986 as Jordan’s primary social assistance institution, mandated to provide regular and emergency cash support to poor and vulnerable households. Since the 2010s, reforms have strengthened income- and vulnerability-based targeting, with household composition and the presence of children becoming key eligibility criteria. While this support is not earmarked specifically for education, prioritising households with children helps ease education-related costs.
