The Council of Ministers has decided to appoint Dr. Mayada Al-Nattour, Professor of Special Education at the School of Educational Sciences at the University of Jordan, as Director General of the Royal Academy for Inclusive Education for Persons with Disabilities. This appointment reflects the national direction toward strengthening the inclusive education system and developing educational policies for persons with disabilities, in line with the Kingdom’s constitutional and international commitments.
Dr. Al-Nattour’s appointment, supported by her extensive academic and practical experience in special education, inclusive education, scientific research, and capacity building, is expected to enhance the Academy’s performance and translate its objectives into effective executive programs. These efforts will support national orientations toward equitable and comprehensive inclusive education that ensures equal opportunities and improves the quality of education for all students in the Kingdom.
This appointment coincides with the issuance of the regulation of the Royal Academy for Inclusive Education for Persons with Disabilities in the Official Gazette. According to the regulation, the Academy is established as a national institution with financial and administrative independence, affiliated with the President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and headquartered in the capital, Amman.
The regulation defines the Academy’s tasks as preparing policies, strategies, and educational programs related to inclusive education and early intervention, and submitting them to the Education Council for approval. It also includes establishing and developing a comprehensive national database of persons with disabilities enrolled in various educational institutions. In addition, the Academy is responsible for developing national standards and frameworks for educating persons with disabilities, and setting mechanisms and indicators for performance measurement and monitoring, in accordance with the law and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Academy’s responsibilities also include developing the capacities of civil society organizations, including organizations of persons with disabilities working in the field of inclusive education, and ensuring their active participation in monitoring and implementing educational policies and programs. It further coordinates with ministries and relevant entities to ensure the allocation of necessary financial resources in annual budgets, and contributes to the preparation of plans and programs to utilize these resources efficiently and effectively.
Moreover, the Academy monitors the commitment of educational institutions to providing accessibility requirements and reasonable accommodations, and takes necessary measures in coordination with relevant authorities. It also provides technical support to the National Center for Curriculum Development, ministries, and educational institutions to ensure the availability of appropriate curricula and teaching methods for persons with disabilities, and to guarantee their participation in school activities on an equal basis with others. The Academy also works on developing programs to compensate for learning loss among persons with disabilities who are not enrolled in educational institutions or who have dropped out.
The Academy is also tasked with preparing specialized programs for capacity building and awareness raising for persons with disabilities, students without disabilities and their families, teachers, and educational and administrative staff, with the aim of promoting the concepts of inclusive education and developing effective communication skills. It also prepares training programs for support teachers, personal assistants, and specialists in support services, and develops licensing standards for these categories in coordination with relevant entities.
The Academy is managed by a Board of Trustees chaired by the President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with the membership of several ministers and concerned stakeholders, in addition to eight experts appointed by a decision of the Council of Ministers.