Amman, June 2023: On 18 June 2023, Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA) celebrated a new cohort of teachers and school leaders in Jordan who successfully completed the Teacher Education Professional Diploma (TEPD) and Advanced Instructional Leadership Professional Diploma (AILPD) programs for the year 2022/2023. The event recognized a total of 288 teachers, assistants, school principals, and supervisors hailing from different governorates across the Kingdom. Both programs are implemented with the support of the Government of Canada and in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Education and the University of Jordan.
In his welcome note, QRTA CEO, Dr. Osama Obeidat, expressed the academy's immense pride in the accomplishments of the change leaders within their schools. He stated, “I am delighted to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued partners and supporters, as well as to the University of Jordan; a steadfast collaborator in the education and development of these leaders. A special acknowledgment is also due to the Government of Canada, which supports professional teacher development programs and funds our AILPD program, benefiting many colleagues from Jordanian public schools who are with us graduating today. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Education for their invaluable assistance in facilitating our mission and opening schools to the leaders, teachers, and supervisors to apply their theoretical knowledge within practical settings.”
In turn, the Ambassador of Canada to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Tarik Ali Khan, congratulated the TEPD and AILPD participants for the year 2022/2023 on the successful completion of their educational journey, expressing pride in the Government of Canada’s unwavering support of QRTA by training over 36,000 teachers and leaders since 2014. The Ambassador emphasized the significance of nurturing talented leaders capable of guiding future generations and the importance of teachers possessing high-quality and contemporary skills and knowledge to positively impact lives.
During the remote ceremony - which was attended by QRTA faculty members, participants, and their families - the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education for Educational Affairs, Dr. Nawaf Al Ajarmeh, reaffirmed the strategic partnership between the Ministry of Education and QRTA. He highlighted QRTA's position as an esteemed international model for implementing a wide range of professional development programs, both in-person and online. Dr. Al Ajarmeh emphasized that the Ministry of Education, in alignment with the Economic Modernization Vision, the National Strategy for Human Resource Development, and its strategic plan, is committed to updating and shaping the policies governing professional development processes, while localizing best practices that are most relevant to the educational landscape.
Since QRTA launched AILPD in 2016, the program has played a significant role in supplying the educational field with influential leaders who are dedicated to making a significant impact through their effective educational leadership. Through AILPD, leaders are empowered to provide students with high-quality education and foster an environment that supports teachers in implementing student-centered teaching and learning strategies. This accomplishment was made possible through QRTA's ongoing partnership with the Government of Canada, which commenced in 2016 and has benefited 523 participants, in addition to the current 304 participants.
As part of its partnership with the Government of Canada, QRTA commemorated today 141 dedicated male and female teachers who completed the TEPD program while balancing their professional commitments. These exceptional participants bring with them valuable experience of up to five years - a crucial factor in gaining knowledge and skills that they have directly applied within their educational settings - ultimately contributing to the preparation of an exceptional generation of students. Presently, 399 male and female teachers are enrolled in the TEPD program.
Established in 2009, and in line with Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah’s vision, QRTA is a non-profit organization committed to supporting and empowering educators with the skills needed to nurture and lead future generations. QRTA offers innovative and evidence-based professional development programs informed by international best practices and the latest research in the field. Since its inception, QRTA has provided teachers and school leaders with professional learning opportunities and over 100,000 professional development opportunities across its various programs.