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