The Minister of Education and Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Azmi Mahafzah, stated that the illiteracy rate in Jordan has reached over 60 percent.

During a seminar held at the Ministry of Government Communication, Mahafzah added that the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect education in Jordan, stating that "the [Covid-19] pandemic has destroyed education in Jordan."

He added that the decline in education in Jordan is estimated to equal 3 years.

Mahafzah listed reasons for the decline in education indicators in Jordan, including the inadequate training of teachers, teaching methods, overcrowded schools, and the two-shift system, which necessitates reducing the number of teaching hours for students.

Mahafzah highlighted that the ministry is working on “intervention measures” to improve the state of education by training teachers and enhancing school environments.

Results from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), showed a decline in the average performance of students in 58 countries, including Jordan, in the field of mathematics compared to the 2018 results. The average performance of Jordanian students was 361 points, a decrease of 39 points compared to the 2018 average.

Similarly, the average performance of students in 37 countries, including Jordan, declined in the field of science, where the average performance of Jordanian students was 375 points, a decrease of 54 points compared to the 2018 average.

The average performance of students in 56 countries, including Jordan, also decreased in reading skills, with the average performance reaching 342 points compared to the 2018 average of 419 points.

Abdullah Ababneh, the Director of the National Center for Human Resource Development, affirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on students' global assessment results, along with several other factors related to students, teachers, curriculum, school principals, and households, all contributing to the decline in students' performance.

Among the reasons mentioned by the Ababneh is the online exams undertaken by students, which affected some aspects of the curriculum.