В Иордании бесплатные внеклассные программы расширяют доступ детей к образованию и культуре

AMMAN, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- For children in Jordan, learning increasingly extends beyond the classroom, with libraries, cultural centers and digital platforms offering opportunities to read, create and develop new skills. Across the country, such programs cover a wide range of areas, including arts, technology and life skills. Many are offered free of charge or at nominal fees, providing families with alternatives to private tutoring and costly extracurricular activities. The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, a non-profit initiative, is among the institutions providing such opportunities. Farah Abu Eiseh, the foundation's communications and outreach manager, told Xinhua that its programs and services are provided free of charge based on the belief that knowledge and culture should be accessible to everyone. The manager said non-formal education complements formal schooling by giving children opportunities to develop skills that may not always receive sufficient attention in traditional curricula. The foundation said 58,314 people benefited from its educational and cultural programs and events in 2025 and the first half of 2026, while its libraries and facilities recorded 113,430 visits. Meanwhile, Zaha Cultural Center provides programs that cover education, culture, arts, technology, innovation, sports and life skills, saying some activities are free, while others are offered for nominal fees. In 2026, Zaha signed an agreement with the Ministry of Social Development to provide educational, cultural, artistic and sports programs, along with social and psychological support, for children in the ministry's care and protection centers. Learning opportunities are also expanding into the digital realm. Jordan's Ministry of Education has piloted the AI-powered educational assistant "Siraj," based on the country's official curriculum for grades one through 12. The platform allows students to ask questions in Arabic and receive explanations and visual materials linked to their textbooks. Free extracurricular programs are becoming part of children's everyday lives, offering families more ways to support their children's learning and development. Morad Wahab, a Jordanian father, said such programs have given his only child opportunities to take part in puppet shows, storytelling sessions and theater performances at the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation. Similarly, Alaa Riyad, a mother of six, said such opportunities have likewise become part of her children's lives. She takes her five-year-old daughter Yasmin Amjad to public libraries and encourages her teenage daughter Sumaya to join courses related to her interests and future goals. "Without these opportunities, my children would spend much of their free time watching television," Riyad said, adding that free activities allow children from different financial backgrounds to access meaningful educational and cultural experiences. Educational expert Amina Hattab said activities outside school can help children develop skills that formal lessons may not fully provide. Through extracurricular activities, children can strengthen cooperation, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills, she said, adding that such programs can also boost self-confidence, broaden children's perspectives and strengthen their sense of belonging. Hattab suggested that government schools could also become cultural and sports hubs during school holidays, with community institutions contributing programs and parents sharing their expertise. ■