Amman, Jan. 4 (Petra) – The Council of Ministers approved the mandating reasons for the draft amendment to the Restructuring of Government Institutions and Departments Law for 2025 and referred it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to proceed with its approval process according to protocol.

The draft law aims to further implement the requirements of the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap and advance the steps necessary for establishing the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development. This includes merging the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC), the Education Quality and Accountability Unit within the Ministry of Education, and the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (HEAC) into a single entity named the “Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission (AQAC).”

The newly formed commission will oversee regulation, accreditation, and quality assurance across all aspects of the education and human resource development ecosystem. It will develop new mechanisms and practices based on the highest standards of regulation, accreditation, and quality assurance.

The amendment also seeks to advance the development and reform of the education ecosystem in the Kingdom, supporting the path of enhancing human resource competitiveness and increasing alignment with local and global labor market demands. This includes matching educational outcomes with the skills and expertise required for the labor market, ensuring they integrate effectively with academic knowledge.
Additionally, the amendment allows flexibility in leadership appointments for the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation and the Jordan News Agency (Petra), permitting the Minister of Government Communication or a Prime Minister-appointed individual to assume these roles rather than limiting them exclusively to the minister.

This measure aligns with the comprehensive modernization project in its political, economic, and administrative tracks while accommodating the rapid developments in the media sector. It aims to enhance the independence of media institutions and bolster their role in delivering the state’s media message, serving society, and aligning with best practices for media independence.

Furthermore, the Council of Ministers meeting chaired by Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan on Saturday approved the mandating reasons for the draft Regulation on Legislative and Policy Impact Assessment for 2025.

The proposed regulation institutionalizes and reinforces the mandatory evaluation of the impact of legislation, policies, and government decisions to ensure their quality. It emphasizes thorough pre-implementation impact assessments and subsequent evaluations after a specified period following adoption and application.

The regulation is part of efforts to modernize the public sector and establish impact assessment as a binding institutional practice across all entities.

It is anticipated that the regulation will contribute to legislative stability, alignment with national strategic visions, and harmonization of shared priorities across sectors.

The regulation will apply to all legislation and policies with social, economic, environmental, or other impacts. A unit will be established within the Cabinet Secretariat to support ministerial committees and ensure that government ministries and departments provide the necessary studies, enabling decisions and recommendations to be based on essential data.

//Petra// AF
04/01/2025 20:40:06