Khaberni - The Council of Ministers decided in its session held today, Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan, to approve the justification for the draft Law on the Regulation of Professional Work for the year 2026, and referred it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to proceed with the procedures for its enactment according to the regulations.
The draft law concerns the regulation of the professional and technical labor market and its workers, by requiring the acquisition of a practice license within three axes: granting a professional license to graduates of vocational training institutions in general, including graduates of the Vocational Training Corporation, the National Company for Employment and Training, and the Advanced Vocational Training College and any private companies involved in vocational training, thus granting these institutions' graduates a professional license before they enter the labor market.
The second axis included in the draft law concerns the licensing of service providers and companies and institutions that offer professional and technical training services, where they are required to obtain a license from the Ministry of Labor, while the third axis relates to the accreditation of training programs and the trainers who deliver these programs in various institutions that must be accredited by the Ministry.
According to the draft law, the Ministry of Labor will license providers of professional and technical training, oversee them, regulate their operations, evaluate and monitor their performance, in addition to supervising the implementation of professional and technical training programs, regulating the procedures of professional exams, and organizing professional practice with the aim of creating a work environment conducive to working in professional and technical fields.
Standards and requirements for licensing providers of professional and technical training in both the public and private sectors will also be prepared, registering their qualifications and accredited entities, categorizing professional trainers, alongside creating a single window through which coordination with relevant authorities is achieved to meet licensing requirements and the necessary requirements to pass professional practice exams.
The draft law aims to regulate the professional labor market by enhancing monitoring and inspection of all professional premises to ensure their compliance with the provisions of the law and the regulations issued pursuant to it.
- Approval of the justifications for the draft law of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority for the year 2026.
In a related context, the Council of Ministers decided to approve the justifications for the draft law of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority for the year 2026; and referred it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to proceed with the approval procedures as per regulations.
The draft law complements the Law on the Regulation of Professional Work, which concerns granting licenses to providers of professional training services and professional practice for graduates of its programs and the accreditation of trainers, while the draft law of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority concerns accreditation and quality control of these programs and aligning them with labor market requirements.
The draft law represents an important step in the pathway to developing the education and training system, aligning educational outcomes with labor market needs; in line with the vision for economic modernization and the public sector reform roadmap, through enhancing the role of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority to contribute to improving education quality across all levels, enhancing the efficiency of educational outputs, and boosting the competitiveness of graduates locally, regionally, and internationally.
The draft law aims to unify the reference in accreditation and quality assurance procedures; integrate policies, enhance efficiency of the control and evaluation system, and improve the performance of educational and training institutions, ensuring their commitment to national and international standards, reflecting positively on education quality, ranking of Jordanian universities in global classifications, and increasing the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market locally and internationally.
The scope of the authority's work will also be expanded to include accreditation and quality assurance of general education institutions in all their forms, including public and private schools and kindergartens, alongside higher education institutions and professional and technical education and training institutions, within a unified national reference that promotes role integration and unification of accreditation and quality assurance procedures, in addition to organizing educational and training pathways, enhancing their interchangeability, and increasing the reliability of the outcomes at both local and international levels.
The draft law grants the authority the powers to recognize non-Jordanian educational institutions, including schools and universities, equate the certificates and qualifications issued by them, and authenticate documents, certificates, and qualifications within and outside the Kingdom, thereby enhancing trust in Jordanian qualifications and supporting their international recognition, through the application of quality standards that match the best international practices.
- Approval of the Water Authority Board's decision to approve the drilling, rehabilitation, and operation of new scattered existing wells in partnership with the private sector on a build, operate, and transfer (BOT) system to enhance the Kingdom's water resources.
In an effort to improve services provided to citizens, the Council of Ministers approved the Water Authority Board's decision to allow the drilling, rehabilitation, and operation of scattered existing new wells in partnership with the private sector, according to the build, operate, and transfer (BOT) system, aimed at providing additional water sources in addition to the existing sources, and enhancing water supply.
According to the decision, the execution will be carried out in two packages, the first includes 25 wells with a production capacity of up to 28,000 cubic meters per day (equivalent to 10 million cubic meters annually) and the second package includes 26 wells with a production capacity of up to 22,000 cubic meters per day (equivalent to 8 million cubic meters annually).
Under the decision, the lowest bidder will be responsible for drilling these wells, equipping them, operating them fully at his expense, connecting them to the water supply network, complying with quality standards according to the specifications in the agreement and the Jordanian standard for drinking water number (286/2015), installing meters to calculate water amounts, and maintaining their production for a period of five years including the implementation duration, starting from the date of the work commencement order, with the wells ultimately becoming the property of the Water Authority.
- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in the Republic of Turkey, and the Ministry of Transport in the Syrian Arab Republic; for cooperation in the field of transport.
In the context of international cooperation, the Council of Ministers approved a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in the Republic of Turkey, and the Ministry of Transport in the Syrian Arab Republic; for cooperation in the field of transport.
The memorandum aims to enhance cooperation and joint connectivity between the three countries, increase the efficiency and sustainability of transport operations across their territories, and develop transport infrastructure among them; which positively reflects on the movement of goods and people, alongside exchanging experiences and encouraging and coordinating investments in infrastructure.
This cooperation includes, in addition to land and air transport, all possible future transport modes, including railways and multimodal logistics services.
The agreement aims to unify standards and regulatory alignment, promote digital transformation and smart transport systems, build capacities and exchange knowledge, govern transport corridors and coordinate on them, in addition to involving the private sector and enhancing the attraction of investments.
A joint ministerial committee consisting of transport ministers and concerned ministers from the three countries will be formed; to serve as a high-level coordinating entity to provide strategic guidance, enhance dialogue, and supervise the implementation of the terms of the memorandum of understanding.
- Approval of a bilateral cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Youth, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Council also approved a bilateral cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Youth, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Republic of Bulgaria; aimed at exchanging programs, experiences, and activities related to the youth sector.
