Book on tvet monitoring indicators

National Center for Human
Resources Development
(NCHRD)

Handbook of TVET Indicators in Jordan

Working Document

13 December 2005

Foreword

This handbook is a remarkable result. It provides experts in the field with the
main definitions and methodological tools to develop a key indicator project for
TVET in Jordan and aims to ensure coherence between all the institutions
involved. It represents the first major collective effort by the three TVET providers
in Jordan (Ministry of Education, VTC and Al Balqa Applied University) and the
National Centre for Human Resources and Development (NCHRD) which formed a
technical Committee to define a common set of relevant indicators that will form
the base for the analytical work that can guide the decision-makers in Jordan
when they evaluate the vocational education system and decide upon future
priorities.
This initiative has been supported by the European Training Foundation in the
context of the Observatory Function project which provided international
expertise to support outstanding Jordanian efforts. In this first attempts the focus
was on TVET sector. It is obvious that more work remains to be done before
Jordan has a complete set of indicators for the entire educational system.
Efforts are already under way by NCHRD and the Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research in the context of the Al Manar project at NCHRD to derive a
set of indicators for higher education. In a medium term perspective the most
important missing links relate to the transition to the labour market and the skill
needs of formal and informal labour market. In addition to the common statistical
system under development, several additional tools need to be developed which
should help to capture the current dynamics. Among those tools (i) tracer studies
of school leavers from the different educational streams are expected to
determine what happens to the graduates and to understand the reasoning of
their access to the LM and (ii) “branch portraits” should provide information and
analysis on sector trends and foreseeable skill needs from formal and informal
sectors.
The next steps must build on the acknowledged success of the Al Manar and
Observatory Function projects and widen the range of potential stakeholders able
to provide added value to the national information system for Human resources.
In particular the role of the Department of Statistics to provide accurate
information on social issues is crucial as is the Civil Service Bureau regarding
information on public sector employment. The network of labour offices
throughout Jordan should in the years to come be equipped to provide relevant
and accurate information on the labour market. Neglecting to do so would
endanger the coherence of any new initiatives and weaken the capacity of the
country to develop accurate strategies and policies. In addition cooperation of
employers and employees corporations should be continued and reinforced to
provide information and advices to build the national Human Resources
Information System.
One can say that the coordinated efforts of all private and public Jordan
stakeholders have proved to be successful during the past years. Efforts should
from now on focus on identifying the conditions to make the network under
development sustainable and on helping the stakeholders to fully implement the
strategy for the development of a national Human Resources Information System
as proposed at the beginning of the Observatory project.
We are confident that in a short period of time when indicators for the remaining
educational areas and studies and surveys have been elaborated Jordan will be in
a position to develop a comprehensive image of its human resource situation and
as a consequence will be fully equipped with appropriate tools to initiate and
conduct structured analysis capable of supporting decision makers from public
and private sectors.

The present handbook is an important first step towards reaching such a goal.

Gérard Mayen Dr Munther Masri
ETF Jordan Desk Officer President of the NCHRD

1

The present handbook has been prepared by a team of experts under the overall
coordination of Mr Gérard Mayen, ETF Jordan Desk officer:

Jordanian Team
1. H.E Dr Munther Masri, President, National Center for Human Resources
Development
2. Dr Nader Mryyan, Al Manar project director, National Center for Human
Resources Development
3. Mr Adel Lutfi, Al Manar project, National Center for Human Resources
Development
4. Eng. Omar Azayzeh, Director of Administrative Development & Training
Department, VTC
5. Mrs Tayeed Alalem ,Head of Study Section Vocational Training Corporation
6. Eng. Ahmad Aloudat, Director of educational & technical affaires, Directorate
of Education, Amman first, Ministry of Education (MOE)
7. Mrs Sana Khair, EDSS Coordinator, Development Coordination Unit, MOE
8. Mrs Nahida El-Saies, President Advisor for International Projects, Al Balqa
Applied University

ETF Team
1. Mr Jens Johansen
2. Eng. Ahmad Mustafa
3. Mr Claude Sauvageot

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List of abbreviations and acronyms

BAU Al Balqa' Applied University.
DOS Department of Statistics.
ETF European Training Foundation.
ETE Education and Training for Employment
EU European Union.
GDP Gross Domestic Product.
HR Human Resources.
HRD Human Resources Development.
JSCED Jordanian Standard Classification of Education.
JD Jordanian Dinar.
ISCED International Standard Classification of Education.
LM Labour Market
LMI Labour Market Information.
MOHE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
MOE Ministry of Education.
MOL Ministry of Labour.
NCHRD National Center for Human Resources Development.
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
O.F Observatory Function.
VET Vocational Education and Training.
TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
VTC Vocational Training Corporation.

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Contents

Foreword ………………………………………………………………………………… …….. 1
List of abbreviations and acronyms…..………………………………..…..…. 3
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………… 5

1. General Methodological Considerations………………….. 7
1.1 Two essentials elements for the construction of a series of
indicators ……………………………………………………………………….……….. 7
1.1.1 An information system ………………………………..……………………. 7
1.1.2 An education and training policy and/or an education and
training plan. ………………………………………………………….…………. 8
1.2. Some definitions and generalities about indicators ….……….. 9
1.2.1 What is an indicator? ……………………………………………………………. 9
1.2.2 What needs to be measured? ……………………………………………… 9
1.2.3 Defining the objectives of the education and training policy
or plan. ………………………………………………………………………………. 10
1.3 General methodology for an indicator project targeted on
policy makers. ……………………………………………………………………….…… 11
1.3.1 Moving from objectives to indicators. ………………………………..… 11
1.3.2 How many indicators should be included? …………………………… 11
1.3.3 How should indicators be classified? ……………………………………. 11
1.4 The various stages of work on indicators. ……………………………… 13
1.4.1 Census of available data sources. ………………………………………… 13
1.4.2 Calculation. …………………………………………………………………………….. 15
1.4.3 A very important step: verifying the consistency of results…… 15
1.5 Some examples of how to use indicators in vocational education
and training ……………………………………………………………..…………………….. 16
1.5.1 Monitoring and effective link between training and employment,
the transformation of vocational training, and the establishment
of diplomas and forms of vocational certification. ……………………… 16
1.5.2 Monitoring human resource management in enterprises, and its
impact on the recruitment of young people……………………………… 17
1.5.3 Observation and forecasts of the training – employment
Relationship at macroeconomic level……………………………………… 17
1.5.4 Lifelong learning particularly as part of working life.………......... 18
1.6 Link with the indicators on higher education and labour market
In Jordan ……………………………………………………………………………............ 18
1.7 Using this handbook …………..……………………………………………………….. 18
1.8 Updating this handbook. ……………………………………………………………. 19

2. The Jordan Experience………………………………………………………………………….. 20
2.1 List of TVET indicators in Jordan …………………………………………… 20
2.2 TVET indicators: Major objectives, definitions, data required and
sources, calculation formulas, and presentation …………………… 22
2.3 Applying TVET indicators. …………………………………………………….…… 51
2.3.1 Context indicators……………………………………………………………………. 51
2.3.2 Participation…………………………………………………………………………….. 52
2.3.3 Achieving equitable outcomes………………………………………………… 53
2.3.4 Rationalising investment in training……………………………………….. 54
2.3.5 Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure…………………... 55
2.3.6 Future indicators………………………………………………………………………. 55
2.3.7 Presentation of indicators………………………………………………………… 55
2.4 Glossary of TVET indicators ……………………………………………………….. 57
3. Some examples of calculation………………………………………………………………. 61

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Introduction

The Barcelona process foresees the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean free-
trade area which will have an impact on the regional socio-economic context in
the coming years. These important developments will require responsive local
labour markets (LM) and as a consequence a labour force prepared to face these
new challenges.
ETF support to some of the MEDA countries during the last four years in order to
develop an information system able to contribute to an efficient decision-making
process in the development of Human Resource policies and more specifically VET
strategies responding to LM needs, has led to a number of strategic orientations
taken by the country themselves. The concept of Observatory Function (OF) is
well known and shared by those who produce and use the requested information
and the networking activities set up allow to develop a more integrated,
harmonised and coordinated information capacity. Concerned countries have
elaborated differentiated mechanisms with the same aim: being better informed
on HR evolution to take appropriate decisions. Several countries at the regional
MEDA level have started working together and exchanging methodologies and
experience. Visits of stakeholders in EU countries have provided information and
exchange of methodologies. One can say that institution and capacity building
have benefited of that support.
The 3 years EU MEDA project Education and Training for Employment (ETE)
launched in November 2004 with the aim to develop the regional Euro-Med
employment and training Observatory addresses the regional aspect and in
particular the identification of common indicators allowing monitoring the HR
evolutions and developing benchmarks. This programme contributes to
strengthening cooperation among EU and MEDA countries via an exchange of
experiences, reinforces the circulation of information, and encourages policy
developments.
This process will be facilitated if each country is fully equipped to produce and
exchange the requested information. According to country context focus will be
put on securing institutional setting and on the implementation of methodological
tools able to contribute to the analysis of the socio-economic developments in line
with the labour market evolution and the requested human resources (HR) by the
enterprises. Pilot approaches aiming at elaborating scenarios and policy
recommendations will be continued as to allow stakeholders to exchange
information and act as members of ”transparent” network.
In this framework, ETF action addresses the concerns expressed by the European
Commission and the donor community in general and the partner countries
themselves regarding the lack of adequate and strategic information, indicators
and analysis able to contribute to an efficient decision-making process in the
development of Human Resource policies and more specifically VET strategies
responding to LM needs.
The final goal of a sustainable Observatory Function being to elaborate scenarios
and policy recommendations, ensuring complementarities between information
providers and quality delivery of this information are at stake. In Jordan three
main actors are in charge of delivery of TVET namely the Vocational Training
Corporation (VTC), the Ministry of Education and the Al Balqa Applied University
(BAU). Through an on-going process each of them is developing monitoring tools
allowing the implementation of a strategic planning. Nevertheless monitoring
progress is necessary within the overall TVET system through the use of shared
indicators.

In the framework of the Observatory Function project in Jordan, it was decided to
develop a set of common indicators on TVET taking into account all its components.

5

As a first step, it was decided to produce a handbook with main focus on
definitions, methodology of indicators and to include some training tools to develop
the Jordan indicator project.

It should be considered as crucial that the target audience for this indicator project
is the group of Jordanian decision-makers in the field of TVET. It is important to
keep this in mind because all the choices have to be driven by this point. For
instance, for a decision-maker, there is no need to have 200 indicators but there is
a need to have a small set linked to his activities and his policy. In Jordan, a lot of
indicators on TVET exist, but in this project we have to build and select the most
policy relevant and the most comprehensive indicators.

The active participation of NCHRD, the Ministry of Education, Al Balqa Applied
University and the VTC has been supported by experts brought into the project by
the ETF; Claude Sauvageot and Jens Johansen. The TVET indicator handbook
complements a larger project, the MED-ETE project run by the ETF and financially
supported by the European Commission. The goals and objectives which the
indicators are to throw some light on have been taken from the "Human
Resources Development Strategy in Jordan", which was approved by the Cabinet
on 21 November 1998 (NCHRD publication series number 73), and from the
education law No (3) for the year 1994. Finally the major objectives were derived
from the policy objectives.

The present handbook sets out to be useful beyond the life-time of the MED-ETE
project. The methodological chapter aims at not having to be updated as the set of
indicators changes in line with the national priorities. It is envisaged that this
publication will be followed by other publications on an annual basis updating the
list of indicators as needed, but also more importantly analysing the results.

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1. General Methodological Considerations
1.1Two essential elements for the construction of a series of
indicators
1.1.1 An information system.
Without a good information system, it is impossible to construct a
relevant series of indicators. This is a sine qua non condition, but it is
not enough.
Most countries in the world have implemented information systems,
but the ever-increasing size of education systems, and the complex
ways in which they work, have prompted a need to explain the
justifications and arguments that lie behind education strategies and
actions. This imperative has sometimes been further accentuated by
the search for an efficient way of using resources in a context of
growing shortages. This is the reason for the emergence of an ever-
increasing need to develop or reinforce information systems so that
they are integrated as key components in planning and decision-
making processes.
Political decision-makers cannot be asked to use data that are out of
date. Decision-makers are interested in the effects that their actions
have, and it is therefore essential to have data on the current year that
are sufficiently accurate for measuring the effect of a recent policy.
Ministers need indications of the effect that their guidelines and actions
have had, and parents want to use data relating to the schooling that
their children are currently receiving.
The problem as regards vocational education and training is even more
complex as, in addition to data on initial training, the information
system needs to include data on continuing vocational training,
vocational transition (i.e. the transition from training/education to
employment), the global functioning of the labour market, and most
particularly on people passing through the training system. It is
therefore necessary to cover a number of fields, and use a range of
sources of information to obtain a consistent set of information. Few
countries have comprehensive information systems, and this will act as
a serious brake on research on indicators. We will return to this later.
To make data more speedily available, a growing number of countries
are conducting quick surveys based on representative samples of
institutions and subpopulations (e.g. households, and workers in a
given economic sector) to obtain data on education, employment
integration and vocational training.
For example, every year, an institution could conduct a quick survey
using a sample of secondary and/or vocational schools three days after
the beginning of the academic year. In this way, it could quickly have
an initial idea of school enrolments in different types of schools. This is
a very useful piece of information for ministers to have at their first
press conference after the beginning of the school year. Special
support could be given to schools in the sample to ensure that they
gave a quick, comprehensive reply. A sample is representative and
easy to construct in so far as the basis of the sample (the total
population of schools) is well-known, and experience shows that after
one or two introductory years, the information obtained by the ministry
is sufficiently accurate, and it is possible to identify the major trends
that will be the focus in the schools census that will take place later on
in the school year.
As for the employment integration of graduates, a sample can provide
information on the conditions and quality of their integration except, of
course, where the training or specialization has involved a very small
number of students, and too few people have been interviewed. This is
where we begin to see something of the limitations of sample-based
surveys.

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Most information that derives from household surveys (e.g. level of the
population, and participation in traineeships) is contained in such a
framework, and accordingly has advantages and limitations.
It is important to note at this stage that the objectives of a handbook
of indicators and those of a statistical yearbook are not the same: the
former aims to display developments in the education system underline
certain trends and highlight problems; the latter seeks to bring all
education data together in a single comprehensive volume. The latter
must be exhaustive; the former need not be.
Consideration of indicators can improve the information system in
terms of both volume and reliability. In fact, the publication of
indicators involves giving information back to the people who produced
it in the first place (e.g. heads of institutions, regional departments
and producers of statistics), and they can then see how important and
useful their information gathering is, and what use is made of it.
There is a lot of discussion going on at the moment about the reliability
of data. True, it is often hard to be sure of the accuracy of a given
piece of information about school enrolments and the functioning of
the labour market, but we cannot expect some hypothetical data
reliability to appear from nowhere. On the contrary, the quality can be
improved by publishing and using the data – while, of course, taking
the necessary precautions. This is the virtuous circle of statistics.
It should also be pointed out that some problems are so obvious that
they do not need accuracy below a few per cent: for example, despite
considerable uncertainty as to the quality of demographic data, and of
data relating to education and employment, unemployed men are
generally likely to have less than secondary level whereas unemployed
women are generally very well educated (intermediate diplomas,
bachelor or above). This result is not disputed. Similarly, there will
always be considerable differences between urban and rural areas. The
quality of these data will be improved by placing the statistics in a
living context.
Moreover, political decision-makers will be able to give more support to
the work of services that supply them with directly usable information.
We then need to move from data gathered by information systems to a
series of indicators. We will return to this later.

1.1.2 An education and training policy and/or an education and
training plan.
As has already been observed, an information system is vital, but not
sufficient, for the construction of a relevant list of indicators. An
education policy or plan is also necessary as far as the choice of
indicators is concerned. In addition to provide a clear, relevant, simple
description, indicators have to measure the events and developments
for the various players in the education system. And clear, measurable
objectives also need to have been defined for the education system, or
for a subset such as vocational education and training. This can be
presented in a number of ways, including documents such as a plan
and measures well identified in laws, bylaws and regulations. The task
therefore consists of drawing up indicators that are the most
appropriate for following the selected guidelines.

As far as vocational training is concerned, objectives may focus on its
development (e.g. a given percentage of young people should undergo
this type of education) or on improving the employment integration of
graduates (e.g. reducing the rate of unemployment by a given
percentage). When the proposals are vague, such as “improving the
quality of teaching”, this becomes a more delicate matter. It is
important to know what quality means in the country under
examination: is it, for example, the teacher’s qualifications, or the level

8

of the pupils, or the number of years of study spent at school, or
getting through school without repeating a year, or a good
teacher/pupil ratio? This is where we see the importance of the debate
that will establish the list of indicators, and the range of difficulties
involved in turning a political objective into an indicator. Objectives
such as “strengthening institutional skills”, “improving the school
network”, “improving the position and performance of vocational
education” and “improving the management of teachers” are of the
same ilk.

1.2. Some definitions and generalities about indicators
1.2.1 What is an indicator?
An indicator is synthetic and consists of pertinent information
considering the objective that it is supposed to measure. Indicators are
also tools that make it possible both to comprehend the current state
of the education system, and to report on the current state to the
entire education community, in other words the whole country. This
highlights a confusion that should be avoided at all costs: an indicator
is not basic information; it is a set of information that has been
elaborated so that an educational phenomenon can be studied. It
follows that we must not confuse a list of indicators with a list of tables
that has been produced for a statistical yearbook, or to meet
administrative needs. The number of pupils entering the second cycle
is interesting for a manager, as is the number of teachers and pupils,
but the indicator will first of all be the percentage of a cohort entering
the second cycle, and secondly the number of pupils per teacher. The
difference is clear, as is the difference in analytical potential. There is
often a big temptation to add raw data to indicators, but it is important
to avoid this error, and ensure that this kind of work retains its own
character. It is possible, as various publications have stated, to set out
the characteristics of a good indicator:
its relevance;
its ability to summarise the information without distorting it;
its coordinated and structured character, which allows it to
be linked to other indicators for a global analysis of the
system;
its accuracy and comparability;
its reliability.
It must:
measure distance in relation to an objective;
identify problematic or unacceptable situations;
respond to the concerns of politicians, and to the
questioning that has resulted in it being chosen;
compare its own value to a reference value, to a norm, and
to itself calculated for another period of observation.
A system of indicators must function like an instrument panel,
facilitating the identification of problems and measuring their
substance. Detailed diagnosis and the search for solutions will take
place through complementary analysis and research. At this point, we
might evoke the classic, but appropriate picture of a light warning that
an engine is about to overheat. When it blows up, a specialist must
look for the reasons, and find solutions in order to solve the problem.
In short, indicators play a fundamental role in directing and evaluating
an education system.

1.2.2 What needs to be measured?
To build a good indicator, we need to identify the most important
phenomena to be measured, and these will depend on the choices that
countries make in response to their respective education policies. The
relevance of other indicators is more universal and more descriptive

9

too, but their importance will depend on the context. The enrolment
ratio in primary education is a good indicator, but if all children go to
school in a given country, it loses much of its importance.
These indicators must also contain a descriptive overview of the
education system. We need something simple and precise. An overview
is necessary, and one that provides an analysis of the various
phenomena with points of comparison.
Furthermore, we know that certain aspects of an education system can
only be observed over time, and it is therefore necessary to present
the development of data over several years. Lastly, it must take
account of what may be a large number of the diversities and
disparities, which, for example, may be geographical or socio-
demographic (e.g. gender or social category).
In addition to the descriptive aspects, indictors must provide elements
of an analysis of education policy. However, when using a group of
indicators, we must be able to find avenues for understanding and
explaining causal relations in the functioning of the education system.
That is exactly what transparency offers.
These are unquestionably delicate interpretations, and that is why it is
important for the group of chosen indicators to accommodate several
viewpoints. This is hard work, but it is the only way that political
decision-makers can be given the managerial tools, and society in
general the elements with which to understand.

1.2.3 Defining the objectives of the education and training policy
or plan
This is a key phase. Indeed, to be able to evaluate an education policy
or plan correctly, it is vital to be able to explain the desired objectives
clearly. They may be qualitative: improving the quality of education, or
aiming for more equality, effectiveness or efficiency in the education
system, or they may be quantitative: 80% of the enrolment ratio in
primary education, 5% of the annual repetition ratio, or achieving a
pupil-teacher ratio of 35:1.
This definition is never easy because a lot of education policies and
plans do not set out their objectives precisely. They therefore have to
be extracted from education policy statements and official texts, and
these redefined objectives then have to be validated by the people
responsible for the policies or plans.
The Technical Committee in Jordan working on this project succeeded
in extracting the objectives for the TVET system in Jordan from
national policy documents.
Six strategic goals have been defined:
• Objective n°1: enhancing the relevance between outputs of the
education system and the requirements of social and economic
development
• Objective n°2: Continuing the development of the infrastructure
of general and vocational education
• Objective n°3: developing the qualitative aspects and
dimensions of general and vocational education
• Objective n°4: Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the
education system, with special emphasis on the economics of
education, including its inputs, operations and outputs
• Objective n°5: Promoting the democracy of education, and
fostering its role in social mobility.
• Objective n°6: Provide opportunities for individuals to join
education and to continue their education up to the maximum
permitted by their interests, aptitudes and traits.

These goals were transformed into five major operational objectives:

10

Equipping Jordanians for the world of work either waged or self-
employment;
Enhancing upper and horizontal mobility in the labour market;
Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET;
Rationalisation investment in training;
and maximising the value of public TVET expenditure.

1.3 General methodology for an indicator project targeted on policy
makers.
It is impossible to build indicators without a very good information
system. This much is obvious and there will be many references to this
information system in this handbook. But when we start a project
targeted on policy makers, we have to identify what they are
interested in. The first step, in other words, is to move from policy
relevant objectives to indicators.

1.3.1 Moving from objectives to indicators
The Jordan Technical Committee developed a list of initial indicators
(more complex indicators as well as indicators focusing on quality,
efficiency and continuing TVET will be developed in a second phase in
2006) in a series of meetings throughout 2005. The Technical
Committee met 18 times between February and September 2005 in
order to identify the major objectives and derive the pertinent
indicators from these. The Jordan Technical Committee was supported
in this work by a local ETF expert and had additional support from the
international ETF experts through occasional workshops hosted by
NCHRD.
1.3.2 How many indicators should be included?
No more than 40 indicators should be used as the document is not
readable if there are many more. The OECD’s Education at a glance
exceeds this ceiling and many people have recommended that it be
slimmed down, or broken down into several publications. These
suggestions have led to a second publication, Analyse des politiques
éducatives (Analysis of education policies), which only deals with a few
issues, but does so much more analytically. However, the emergence
of this publication has not resolved the problem of the size of
Education at a glance. Other publications abide by this rule, and their
users are delighted. As has been stated earlier on, it is important to
avoid the error of turning the planned document into yet another
statistical yearbook: it is therefore important to preserve the notion of
indicator as defined above.

1.3.3 How should indicators be classified?
Classifications of the various indicators vary from one publication to
another. Although the “analysis of operation” predominates,
classification also relies on distribution by costs, activities and
outcomes and is complemented by a description of the social and
cultural environment.

If there is a preference for proceeding according to the various bodies,
classification may rely on distribution according to institution, pupil,
teacher and costs.

It is also possible to group by major topics, such as the level of
knowledge, preparation for employment, preparation for social life, and
equality in (or the democratisation of) education. In this way, the
effectiveness and efficiency of the education system can be measured.
However, the focus is more on topics that perform a transversal
analysis of indicators than on the document’s presentational logic.

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Lastly, the kind of presentation that best facilitates analysis for the
reader is one where the indicators are grouped in a manner that
describes i) the Resources, ii) Activities or the Process and finally iii)
Outcomes. This grouping of the indicators comes closest to an
explanatory model of education systems. In practice, the three
components are linked by close, multidirectional relationships. It is also
possible to add characteristics of the socio-demographic environment
that interact with each of the components.

It is possible to think of other classifications in the field of vocational
education and training. For example, it is important to know the
situation of the population as regards their level of knowledge or skills
in a given field. It would then be interesting to know how different
forms of vocational education and training (including that undertaken
by young people and adults, and formal, non-formal and informal
education) function as far as funding and activities are concerned. It
would also be possible to evaluate outcomes under several headings
such as pass rates for degrees and other forms of certification, and the
quality of the employment integration of young people who have
completed various forms of education and training.

In Jordan, the technical committee decided to classify by major
objectives, but adding a general category named ‘context’, to stress
the link between indicators and objectives. We obtain six categories:
• Context indicators
• Equipping Jordanians for the world of work (participation);
• Enhancing upper and horizontal mobility in the labour market;
• Achieving equitable outcomes;
• Rationalization investment in training;
• Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure

At this step, no indicators were defined for the third category because
there is no detailed data available about the mobility in the labour
market.
Sub distributions that derive from each method are usually closely
connected: distribution by level of education, for example, is always
represented, and is usually accompanied by a cost analysis.
In Jordan, the second category is divided by level and status:
o All TVET,
o Apprenticeship/ applied secondary education,
o Vocational education.
The fourth category is divided into two sub categories which show two
different aspects:
o Access for equity groups,
o Performance/ Outcomes indicators.

It would be possible to imagine constructing predictive indicators, for
example, on future requirements for teachers, but only as long as
there are reliable demographic data available.
It might also be possible to complement analysis of vocational
education and training with the outcomes of forecasts of the needs of
the economy linked to predictions relating to education and training.
In a subsequent phase of the work started with this handbook, we will
stress analysis. It is a very difficult part of the work, but a part that
must be undertaken if the indicators are to have any purpose.
When a project on indicators starts, it should be done inside a period of
18 months to 2 years, but, of course, the final document on indicators
has to use the most recent available data. And this indicator document
has to be updated every year.

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In Jordan, the first year has been spent producing this handbook
identifying strategic objectives and defining the indicators. The second
year will be spent producing a document analysing trends and current
situation for each defined indicator.

1.4 The various stages of work on indicators
There are several stages of work when developing indicators. First, it is
necessary to identify available sources and data. The next stage, which
involves calculation, is not as easy as it looks at first sight. One reason
for this is that different methods of calculation can be used, and it is
therefore necessary to stress the importance of a precise definition of
indicators, and particularly the need for a glossary of the terms used.
These matters are addressed in detail in the following paragraphs:
verifying the consistency of outcomes, analysis of indicators, and the
format of the document using the calculations.
The content of this handbook is mainly oriented towards the last
element.

1.4.1 Census of available data sources
All sources that can be used must be identified and used.
Overview
Most data on education, and particularly on vocational education, come
from annual school censuses and staff surveys, examination results
and infrastructures. Some are internal ministry of national education
data, and some are statistical departmental data: for example,
although data on pupils and institutions are normally available to the
statistical service, data on staff, their status, their accommodation
conditions, and their initial and continuing training are often held in
these employees’ personnel offices.
Demographical data are often the responsibility of the national institute
of statistics. They are very important as it is essential to have data by
age for all years, and estimates made for inter--census and post-
census (in the case of the last census carried out) years must be high
quality. Enrolment ratios may, like all indicators involving a sound
knowledge of population data, be otherwise badly distorted. Similarly,
it is important to have regional data so as to be able to take account of
regional disparities in enrolment. Lastly, it is important to have
projections in order to be able to make forecasts of school rolls and
recruitment needs for teachers. It follows that some forecasting
indicators might also be collected.
Financial data come from the directorate with responsibility for
financial matters, and from the national institute of statistics, which is
responsible for accounts. Many indicators need data such as the Gross
Domestic Product and data taken from an analysis of the State budget.
It is also possible to use incomplete data on certain regions, or a
sample of pupils. Inspection reports, for example, are an important
source of information on teaching materials and the training of
teachers: they can illustrate an analysis. Selective data gathered for
the purposes of a study or a particular report can be used in the same
way.
There must be no hesitation in using data from a survey. As has
already been stated, what is important is that the sample should be
well constructed, and representative of the level under examination. It
is sometimes essential to use sample-based studies, as comprehensive
ones are too expensive to carry out. The accuracy obtained is quite
acceptable for an analysis of many problems encountered in the
education system.
In the case of vocational training, it is necessary to mobilise all the
information available on formal, non--formal and informal training.
Here again, it is necessary to define exactly what is meant by these

13

terms. Once more, we see the importance of producing a glossary
containing the main definitions used in the gathering of data and the
calculation of indicators. It is necessary to have this information
according to the section of the population (e.g. young people, adults,
and by gender), and according to the duration of the training schemes
because, unlike initial training, the duration of vocational training can
be very different from the school year. Knowing the number of
enrolments alone is therefore not enough. It is necessary to know the
duration of the training courses followed, as it is possible to work out
the number of days (or hours) of training from this. It will then also be
possible to calculate the average duration of training for each
enrolment. Another important element in vocational training is to try
and find out exactly how many people have taken part in these training
schemes.
Here, again, the number of enrolments is not enough as a given
person may have taken part in several training exercises in a given
period (e.g. the school year). The ministry responsible for vocational
training may obtain data based either on a census of various training
schemes or on surveys based on samples (e.g. of households) that
include questions about vocational training courses undertaken during
a reference period.
A good knowledge of forms of certification awarded by type and by
training specialisation is also required. This information is normally
available from various certification bodies, but it is often necessary to
ask a number of institutions including the ministry of education, the
ministry of vocational training, the ministry of health, the ministry of
labour, and professional bodies.
As has been stated earlier, it is also necessary to build up a
comprehensive picture of the various sources of funding for vocational
education and training (e.g. ministries, local authorities, private
enterprises and households).
Furthermore, it is necessary to have data on the employment
integration of young people and on the transition from vocational
education to employment. To do this, either household surveys (of the
“employment survey” kind) that include questions on the prior
situation (in this case “while undergoing training”), and on the
employment situation at the time of the survey, or special surveys
using samples of young people leaving the education and training
system can be used. The latter usually provides more accurate
information, and makes it possible, for example, to measure
differences of integration that are linked to specialised training.
Specialised industrial training produces better integration than
specialised tertiary training, for example, but it is more expensive.
Lastly, it is good to have forecasts of the needs of the economy and
society in order to put predictions and the training scheme in
perspective.
Clearly, the final list of indicators can only be fixed after a check has
been made on the availability of the data necessary for calculating the
indicators. It will therefore always be a compromise between what is
desirable and what is possible. It is likely that research on indicators
will result in the introduction of new questions into existing surveys,
and even the construction of new surveys. For example, in vocational
education and training, it has been possible to observe that the data
needed to calculate relevant indicators were very often lacking: it
followed that work in this field was particularly gruelling.
In Jordan, four main sources are used: Ministry of education, the VTC,
Al Balqa Applied University and Department of Statistics. This project
only used available data and did not attempt to assess the quality or
possible existence of other sources of data. It is recommended that the
analysis in the second phase should be accompanied by a critical

14

appraisal of the data reliability and availability, including the possibility
of developnig other data sources.
For instance, such sources could be tracer studies for school, university
or VTC leavers, or data collections on the demand side coming from
the labour market.

1.4.2 Calculation
Some examples
Indicator 4: Participation rates in TVET by sex
• Raw data needed:
• Number of students in the TVET from Al Balqa Applied
University
• Number of students in the TVET from Ministry of Education
(MOE).
• Number of students in the TVET from V.T.C.
• Number of students in all the education levels in the Ministry
of education and in the Ministry of Higher education
and scientific research (MOHE)
Calculation formula:
Number of TVET students in all the institutions / total number of
students in (MOE + MOHE + VTC)

• Different sources have to be used: Records & Database at the
Ministry of Education (MOE).
• Records & Database at the Vocational Training Corporation
(VTC).
• Records & Database at the B.A.U.
• Records & Database at the Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research

We can stress the needs to put together data coming from different
sources to calculate this indicator.

Using the same data sources, we can calculate the number of
apprentices in three levels: craftsman, skill and limited-skill levels.
We can also calculate the enrolments in first and second grade in
applied secondary education in MOE.
Using all these data we can calculate three indicators:
• Indicator 6: Percentage of apprentices / applied secondary
education students to total TVET participants
• Indicator 8: Percentage of vocational education students to
the total TVET participants.
• Indicator 10: Percentage of enrolled students in technical/
technician education to the total TVET registered students and
trainees in specific school year.
For these three indicators, the denominator is the numerator of the
indicator 4: total number of students in TVET in all the institutions.
For indicator 6, the numerator is the number of apprentices
(craftsman, skill and limited-skill levels) / applied secondary education
students.
For indicator 8, the numerator is the number of vocational education
students in the first and second grade.
For indicator 10, the numerator is the number of enrolled students in
technical/ technician education.
The glossary at the end of this handbook gives a precise definition for
each item.

1.4.3 A very important step: verifying the consistency of results
After the various indicators have been calculated, it is necessary to
verify the consistency of the results obtained. In practice, a number of

15

information sources are mobilised. All statisticians know the problems
of using information in this way. For example, it is necessary to verify
that net enrolment ratios do not exceed 100%, so that they are not
inconsistent with activity ratios, and that education expenditure
supplied by the ministry of education is the same as that provided by
the ministry of finance or the national statistics institute. This work is
very important as it is what guarantees the validity of the whole
exercise. The necessary amount of time must be allocated.
To give some examples of problems: in Education at a glance No 3, if
we add net enrolment and activity ratios for post-primary education,
we obtain ratios above 100% for some countries. This arises from a
problem of definition: in fact, on-the-job training schemes are double--
counted as the young people concerned are undergoing training but at
the same time have an employment contract.
What is more, net enrolment ratios sometimes exceed 100% when
demographic data and school data are inconsistent. In some countries,
and particularly in the capital, net enrolment ratios can exceed 100%
because children who come from isolated parts of the country that
have little school equipment are enrolled in regions where enrolment is
well-developed. In one country, for example, the net enrolment ratio
exceeds 100% in the western area because that is where children from
neighbouring districts are educated.
As far as financial data are concerned, use is often made of the
approved budget as it is the easiest piece of information to find. It is
often also the most recent. However, it can be very different from the
implemented budget, the latter usually being decided very late in the
day, and with a time-lag of one or two years. This has to be
researched very specifically for all these problems to be clarified, and
series of consistent data constructed. If such research already exists, it
is clearly very valuable, but estimates have to be made if it is not
possible to harmonise all the data. They need reliable elements over
several years to make them possible. The other solution is to indicate
the sources of the data clearly, and to explain why there are
differences. Let us not forget that this document is aimed at non-
statisticians. It is wrong therefore to use stereotyped formal language,
and concepts associated with the various data should be
comprehensible. It is important to make it clear that it is not possible
to say everything with statistics. This is what verifying the consistency
is all about, and it is important not to miss this target. It will be
through transparency that the target is reached.
It is worth repeating here that accuracy is not a sine qua non. It is
possible to monitor developments in the education system and identify
crucial problems (what an indicators document is meant to achieve)
even if one does not have particularly accurate data.
The following step is the analysis and the publication of the different
indicators. This will be done during the next phase of the project.

1.5 Some examples of how to use indicators in vocational education
and training to be completed with the Jordan Technical
Committee

1.5.1 Monitoring an effective link between training and
employment, the transformation of vocational training, and the
establishment of diplomas and forms of vocational certification

It is particularly important to evaluate vocational training diplomas by
examining the employment integration of young people who leave the
education system with these diplomas. In this way, it is possible to
verify the relevance of the diploma and the recognition it is granted in
employment circles. In France, commissions responsible for setting up

16

and modifying vocational diplomas attach great importance to surveys
on the employment integration of young people. A number of surveys
have been carried out in this area, covering periods ranging from
seven months to five years after the students have left the education
system. In the latter case, it is also possible to use surveys to study all
the employment trajectories followed.
The results of these surveys, and particularly the various indicators
that are obtained, strengthen discussions on the opportunity to change
the content of training schemes, and therefore the certification, and on
the importance of stopping a given training scheme. The indicators
used include the date of access to employment, the total duration of
the employment, the time spent in unemployment, the kind of
employment taken (linked or otherwise to the diploma), the status of
the employment (i.e. precarious or stable), and salary.
When creating a diploma, it is vital, while studying the introduction of
training schemes that are close to those still being developed, to
mobilise other information, particularly any that concerns changes in
the sector targeted by the training.

1.5.2 Monitoring human resource management in enterprises, and
its impact on the recruitment of young people

Work on this also provides an opportunity to observe the recruitment
behaviour of enterprises, and to identify slippages in their demands, or
developments in employment in the sector that has been targeted by
the training: for example, it has been possible to see that secretarial
jobs are no longer being given to holders of initial diplomas in
vocational training, but to more qualified young people. In such
circumstances, it is important to stop or change these first-level
training schemes. In some industrial sectors, it has also been possible
to observe that enterprises have become more demanding; here, too,
it has been necessary to adapt the training and the diplomas. However,
it is important to verify that the behaviour of enterprises is not linked
to the state of the market: substantial unemployment can often
encourage them to recruit more highly qualified staff because they are
available and not necessarily more expensive. It is therefore necessary
to get more general information on the training-employment
relationship, which can be obtained from surveys on the active
population such as employment-labour force surveys.
Indicators that make it possible to find out a lot about enterprises and
sectors that recruit young people leaving the education system are also
very useful; the proportion of young people who leave the education
system and are recruited by enterprises constitute an interesting
indicator in terms of economic sector and size of enterprise. It often
serves to put the statements of both sides into perspective, and is
therefore an important tool in the dialogue between the education
system and enterprise.

1.5.3 Observation and forecasts of the training – employment
relationship at macroeconomic level

At macroeconomic level, it is important to verify the main balances
between the needs of the economy and the operation (and therefore
the “production”) of the education system. If it is clear that that there
cannot be a satisfactory match between these two elements, it is
necessary to ensure that the gap remains small and does not result in
serious dysfunction. This work must be conducted on the basis of the
facts and be prospective. This is all the more important given that the
demographic situation indicates that tension on the labour market is
very likely to be associated with a large number of retirements. Very

17

useful comparisons can be made between indicators on the levels of
training required by the needs of the economy and indicators on the
observed or predicted levels produced by the training system. Major
imbalances can trigger remedial actions that can impact on the
education system and on human resource management in enterprises.
In practice, a training and internal promotion policy in enterprises can
usefully “nudge” the education system into a frantic race to raise the
level of training courses.
In this way, it is possible to see how important it is to receive
observations and reports regularly on the training-employment
relationship and forecasts, notwithstanding the limitations of prediction
exercises.

1.5.4 Lifelong learning particularly as part of working life
Attention has already been drawn to the importance of training during
working life. It is therefore essential to build indicators that can
measure the importance of these training measures and their impact
on people’s careers and economic development. It is also very useful
to know about the development of the kinds of certification obtained
after initial training. The development of training schemes and forms of
certification during working life will be a major issue in the coming
years.

1.6 Link with other indicators
In Jordan, the next phase has to include further indicators on higher
education and the labour market to improve the picture. It would be very
useful to compare some indicators coming from the labour market to the
indicators defined in this handbook. For instance, it is very interesting to
compare the levels of occupations (excluding high skilled occupation) for
the age group 25-34 to the distribution by level of TVET students to see if
there are some relationships. For highly skilled occupations, we can
compare with the distribution of bachelors, masters and doctorates.
The Occupational Work Organization Law is useful in the sense that it
defines the skill levels to be used for data from the labour market.

1.7 Using this handbook
We can mention different ways to use this handbook:
- as a training tool for all the institutions involved in the TVET
indicators project
- as a mean to ensure coherence between all the institutions involved
in the project
- as an example of good practise and as providing some clear
examples for other institutions (inside Jordan) and other countries
(inside the MEDA region) in the field of indicators and in particular
for TVET indicators
- in a future step, it can give some tools to analyse the coherence (or
the incoherence) between TVET providers and labour market.
Institutions involved in the project can use it as a guide to develop and to
improve their own information system because during the process some
lacks of data were shown. In addition, when the calculation process
started, some problems about the validity of the data appeared.

As soon as the handbook is published, it must be disseminated widely to
all the institutions. At the same time, the calculation process must
continue and all the indicators have to be calculated. As soon an indicator
is calculated, we have to analyse it and find the right way to build tables
and graph to present it in a easy-to-read and easy-to-understand way for
non-specialist people. The project will only be finished when the first
document with indicators and analysis is disseminated… and once the
second document is in process.

18

1.8 Updating this Handbook
It is not enough to produce a handbook and to calculate all the indicators
once, and then, after putting in so much hard work, go no further. To be
used and to be useful, it must become a standard work, and to achieve
that, there is only one solution: it must be done regularly, with a thorough
analysis thereby becoming a document that is easy-to-use and easy-to-
understand for policy-makers with the most recent data.
It is therefore necessary to organise things in such a way that the
document is produced regularly. This has an impact on work organisation
and the gathering of data.
It is necessary to place the statistics and data gathered on the education
system in a living context. The definitions of terminology, the precise
definition of indicators are a very important step in a project on indicators.
This step has to be followed by the analysis of the indicators in a easy-to-
use, easy-to understand way. This analysis which is not easy will be done
during the following phase of this project.
Debates in this field must rely on objective data that are accepted by
everyone. In this way, an in-depth study of the numerous real problems
that arise in each country is possible. This publication encourages debate
and offers issues for consideration; the objectives are defined in the
opening pages.
As for vocational education and training, expectations are equally great.
The qualifications and skills that are acquired constitute a key element in a
country’s development, and here, too, the need for evaluation in order to
give better direction and provide reports is unquestionable.
As soon as the statistical work has got under way, it is always possible to
go further and improve the reliability of existing indicators and, for
example, create indicators to help run educational establishments and
vocational training centres. But that is another story. To be continued.

19

2. The Jordan Experience
2.1 List of TVET Indicators in Jordan

The TVET policy framework in Jordan
Strategic Goals
Enhancing the relevance between outputs of the education system
and the requirements of social and economic development.
Continuing the development of the infrastructure of general and
vocational education.
Developing the qualitative aspects and dimensions of general and
vocational education.
Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the education
system, with special emphasis on the economics of education,
including its inputs, operations and outputs.
Promoting the democracy of education, and fostering its role in
social mobility.
Provide opportunities for individuals to join education and to
continue their education up to the maximum permitted by their
interests, aptitudes and traits.
major objectives
Equipping Jordanians for the world of work either waged or
through self-employment.
Enhancing upper and horizontal mobility in the labour market.
Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET
Rationalisation of investment in training
Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure.
Context indicators (context)
. 1 Educational attainment for population (15 years+) by age and sex.
. 2 Labour force participation rates by educational level and sex.
2-a Employment rates by educational level and sex.
2-b Unemployment rates by age, sex and educational level.
. 3 Gross domestic product per capita.
Equipping Jordanians for the world of work (participation)
( A ) All TVET
4 Participation rates in TVET as a percentage of all participants of
education/training.
5a Participation rates in TVET by institution as a percentage of all
participants of education/training.
5b Participation rates in TVET by institution as a percentage of the
relevant JSCED level.
( B ) Apprenticeship/Applied secondary
6 Percentage of apprentices/ applied secondary education to total
TVET participants.
7 Distribution of apprentices/applied secondary education by sex and
specialization (number or percentage) to total participants.
( C ) Vocational Education
8 Percentage of vocational education students to total TVET
participants.
. 9 Distribution (number or percentage) of vocational education
students by sex and type of education.
( D ) Technical/Technician Education
. 10 Percentage of students in technical/ technician education to total
TVET participants.
. 11 Distribution (number or percentage) of participants in technical /
technician education by sex, age and specialisation.
Achieving equitable outcomes (outputs and outcomes)
(A) Access for equity groups

20

The TVET policy framework in Jordan
. 12 Gross enrolment rate in TVET by sex.
. 13 Net enrolment rate in TVET by sex.
. 14 Gross enrolment rate in TVET by region, and sex.
. 15 Net enrolment rate in TVET by region, and sex.
(B) Performance/ Outcomes indicators
. 16 Completion rates in TVET by programme, and sex.
. 17 Dropout rates in TVET by sex, and programme.
. 18 Percentage of graduates in TVET by sex and programme.
Rationalization investment in training (resources )
. 19 Percentage of current public educational expenditure in TVET to
gross domestic product (GDP).
. 20 Public educational expenditure in TVET to the total public
expenditure.
. 21 Public expenditure per student by type of education and training
. 22 Relative proportions of public and private investment in
educational institutions.
. 23 Funds of TVET by sources and type of education and training.

Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure (outputs)
. 24 Cost per contact hour.
. 25 Graduate cost per programme.
. 26 Teaching load per teacher.
. 27 Teachers’ qualifications.
27-a Teachers’ qualifications by sex, and educational level.
27-b Teachers’ qualifications by sex, and years of experience.
. 28 Cost of in service training for teaching staff training by institution.

21

2.2 TVET indicators: Major objectives, definitions, data required
and sources and calculation formulas.

POLICY FRAMEWORK OF TVET INDICATORS

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

• Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (1) Educational attainment for population (15 years+) by
age and sex.

DEFINITION: Number of population who lives in Jordan, age 15 years and
above, distributed according to groups of 5 years each, and classified according to
the Jordan Standard Classification of Education (JSCED).

REQUIRED DATA AND SOURCE

REQUIRED DATA:
The distribution of the population who are 15 years and above according to
sex and age classified according to Jordan Standard Classification of Education
(JSCED).

SOURCE:
• Records and data base of DOS/ population surveys.
• Records and data base of AL-Manar /NCHRD

CALCULATION FORMULA

Population (15+) by sex and age
groups and educational level

Educational attainment by age and sex = x 100%
Total population by age and sex

22


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

• Equipping Jordanians for the world of work either waged or self-
employed.

THE INDICATOR (2) Labour force participation rates by educational level and
sex

DEFINITION :

2-a) Employment rates by educational level and sex: Total
number of employed of working age according to
Jordan Standards Classification of Education (JSCED) to the
total number of labour force (male/ female) according to
educational level.
2-b) Unemployment rates by age, sex and educational levels:
Total number of unemployed persons of working age
according to (JSCED) Jordan Standards Classification of
Education to the total number of labour force (male/ female)
according to educational level.


REQUIRED DATA:
Total number of employed and unemployed population by educational level, age
and sex.

SOURCE:
• Records and data base of DOS/ population surveys.
• Records and data base of AL-Manar/ NCHRD

CALCULATION FORMULA

Participation Rates :

Total number of labour force in the working age
by educational level
Total participation rates by
educational level = x 100%
Total number of population
of working age by educational level

2-a) Employment rates:

Total number of employed by age, sex and education
Employment rate by age, sex
and education = * 100%
Total working age population by age, sex and
according to educational level

23

2-b) Unemployment rates

Total number of unemployed by age, sex and
educational level
Unemployment rates by
age, sex and educational level = * 100%
Total labour force by age, sex and
educational level

24


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

• Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure.

THE INDICATOR (3) Gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita)

DEFINITION: The distribution of the gross domestic product per capita

.

REQUIRED DATA
• The Gross domestic product.
• The total number of population for the same year.

SOURCE
• Records & Database at the Central Bank of Jordan & /or Ministry of
Finance.
• The records of DOS/population surveys.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Gross domestic product
GDP per capita =
Total number of population

25


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employed.

THE INDICATOR (4) Participation rates in TVET as a percentage of all
participants of education/ training. (PRTVET)

DEFINITION: Total number of all participants in TVET by sex in a given school
year to the total number of all students in the educational system by sex in the
same school year.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of students in the TVET from B.A.U.
• Number of students in the TVET from MOE.
• Number of students in the TVET from VTC.
• Number of all students in education from MOE and MOHE

SOURCE:
• Records & Database at the Ministry of Education (MOE).
• Records & Database at the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC).
• Records & Database at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research

CALCULATION FORMULA

Total number of all participants in TVET by sex
( PRTVET) = x 100%

Total number of all students in the educational system by sex

26


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employed.

THE INDICATOR (5a) Participation rates in TVET by institution as a percentage
of all students in the education system. (PRTVETI)
(5b) Participation rates in TVET by institution as a percentage
of the relevant JSCED level

DEFINITION: Total number of all participants in TVET by institution in a
specific school year to the total number of all students in the educational
system or JSCED level in the same specific year.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of students in the TVET by institution.
• Number of students in the educational System
• Number of students by JSCED level

SOURCE:
• Records & Database at the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC)
• Records & Database at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research

CALCULATION FORMULA

The number of the apprentices or students by institution
(PRTVETI) 5a =
x 100%
The number of all students in the educational system

The number of vocational education
Students/apprentices by institution
(PRTVETI) 5b = x 100%
The number of students in the relevant JSCED level

27


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

• Equipping Jordanian for the world of work either waged or self-
employment.

THE INDICATOR (6) Percentage of apprentices/ applied secondary education
students to total TVET participants. (PATVETP)

DEFINITION: Percentage of apprentices (craftsman, skill and limited skill levels)
and applied secondary education students in a specific school year to the total
registered students and trainees in TVET in the same specific school year.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of registered apprentices (craftsman skill and limited-skill levels) /
applied secondary education students in a specific school year.
• Number of registered vocational students in first and second secondary
classes in a specific school year.
• Number of enrolled students in technical education in a specific school year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Total number of apprentices (Craftsman, skill and limited-skill
levels) / applied secondary education students in a specific school
year
Percentage of apprentices= _________________________________________ x 100%
Total registered students and trainees in TVET in same specific
school year

28

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.

THE INDICATOR (7) Distribution (number or percentage) of apprentices/
applied secondary education students by skill levels, sex
and specialisation.

DEFINITION: Distribution (number or percentage) of registered apprentices/
applied secondary education students by skill levels, sex and specialisation in
specific school year to the total number of apprentices/applied secondary
education students in same specific school year.


REQUIRE DATA:
• Number of registered apprentices (craftsman, skill and limited-skill
levels)/applied secondary education students by sex and specialization in a
specific school year.

SOURCE:
• Records and database at the Ministry of Education.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of apprentices/applied secondary education by
Distribution of apprentices by sex skill levels, sex and specialisation in specific school year
and specialisation = x 100%
Total number of apprentices / applied secondary education
students by sex in same specific school year

29


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.

THE INDICATOR (8) Percentage of vocational education students to the total
TVET participants.

DEFINITION: Percentage of registered vocational student (in first and second
secondary classes) in specific school year to the total TVET registered students
and apprentices in same specific school year.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of registered apprentices (craftsman, skill and limited-skill levels) /
applied secondary education students in a specific school year.
classes in a specific school year.
• Number of enrolled students in technical education in a specific school year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

No of registered vocational student (in first and
second secondary classes) in specific school year
Percentage of vocational = X 100%
education students to the Total TVET registered apprentices/students total
TVET participants in same specific school year

30


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.

THE INDICATOR (9) Distribution (number or percentage) of vocational
education students by sex and type of education

DEFINITION: Distribution (number or percentage) of registered vocational
student in first and second secondary classes by sex and type of education in
specific school year to the total registered vocational students by sex
in the same specific school year.


REQUIRED DATA:
classes by gender and type of education in a specific school year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of registered vocational student (in first
and second secondary classes) by sex and type of
education in specific school year
Percentage of vocational * 100%
education students to the = Total registered vocational students by sex in
total TVET participants same specific school year

31


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.

THE INDICATOR (10) Percentage of students in technical/ technician education
to total TVET participants.

DEFINITION: Percentage of enrolled students in technical/ technician education
to the total TVET registered students and trainees in specific school year.


REQUIERD DATA:
• Number of registered apprentices by gender and specialisation in a specific
school year.
• Number of applied secondary education student by gender and specialisation
in first and second secondary classes in a specific school year.
• Number of registered education students in first and second secondary classes
by gender and specialisation in a specific school year.
• Number of enrolled students in technical education by gender and
specialisation in a specific school year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of enrolled technical /
technician education students
PSTE = X 100%
Total TVET participants in
specific school year

32


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

• Equipping Jordanian for the world of work either waged or
self- employment.

THE INDICATOR (11) Distribution (number or percentage) of participants in
technical / technician education by sex, age and specialisation.

DEFINITION: Distribution (number or percentage) of participants in technical /
technician education by sex , age and specialisation to total technical / technician
registered students by sex, age and specialisation in specific school year.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of enrolled students in technical education by sex and specialisation
in a specific school year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of enrolled students in technical /
technician education by age, sex and specialisation
Distribution of enrolled students in
technical/ technician education =
by sex, age and specialisation X100%
Total technician registered students by sex
in specific school year

33


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

Employment.
Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (12) Gross enrolment rate in TVET by sex and stream

DEFINITION: Number of enrolment in TVET by sex and stream to the relevant
population age group (JSCED level) by sex.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of enrolment by sex and stream in TVET
• Number of population by sex for ages (16, 17,18….22) years

SOURCE
Records & Database at
• Ministry of Education (MOE).
• Vocational Training Corporation (VTC).
• Al Balqa Applied University (B.A.U).
• Demographic and population data at the Department of Statistics (DOS).

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of participants in TVET X 100%
by stream and sex
Gross enrollment rate by stream = X 100%
Population by theoretical age for
the examined JSCED levels

34


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment
Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (13) Net enrolment rate in TVET by sex.

DEFINITION: Number of Enrolment in TVET for the single ages 16,17,18…..22
by sex to the population at the same ages by sex.


REQUIRED DATA:
Number of enrolment in TVET by sex for ages 16, 17, 18….22
Population for the ages 16, 17, 18…22 by sex.

SOURCE:
• Al Balqa Applied University B.A.U

CALCULATION FORMULA

Net enrolment rates:

Number of male participants in TVET for single ages 16, 17, 18…22

X 100%
Males: Male population for the same ages

Number of female participants in TVET for single ages 16, 17, 18…22
X 100%
Females: Female population for the same ages

Number of participants in TVET for single ages 16, 17, 18…22 X 100%
Total : Total population for the same ages

35


MAJOR OBJECTIVES
o Equipping Jordanians for the world of work either waged or self-
Employment
o Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (14) Gross enrolment rate in TVET by region and sex.

DEFINITION: Number of enrolment in TVET by sex and region to the population
by theoretical age according to JSCED level by sex and region


REQUIRED DATA:
Number of enrolment in TVET by sex and region
Number of population for ages 16, 17, 18…22 by sex and region.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Number of enrolments in TVET by sex and region
Gross enrolment rate =
Population of theoretical age according X 100%
to JSCED by sex and region

36

POLICY FRAMEWORKE OF TVET INDICATORS
MAJOR OBJECTIVES
o Equipping Jordanians for the world of work either waged or self-
employment
o Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (15) Net enrolment rate in TVET by region and sex

DEFINITION: Enrolment in TVET for the single ages 16, 17, 18…..22 by sex to
the population at the same ages by sex and region.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of enrolment in TVET for ages 16, 17, 18….22 by sex and region.
• Number of population for ages 16, 17, 18…22 by sex region.

SOURCE: Records & Database at
• Department of Statistics (DOS).

CALCULATION FORMULA

Net Enrolment Rates:

Males:
Male participants in TVET by region for the single ages 16, 17…22 X 100%

Male population for the same ages and region

Females:
Female participants in TVET by region for the single ages 16,17…22
X 100%
Female population for the same ages by region

Total:
All participants in TVET by region for the single ages 16,17…22
X 100%
Total population for the same ages by region

37


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.
• Achieving equitable outcomes in TVET.

THE INDICATOR (16) Completion rates by stream and sex. CR

DEFINITION: Number of completers in TVET by stream and sex to total
number of all entrants by stream and sex.


REQUIERED DATA:
• Number of graduates from all the secondary level (male & female).
• Number of graduates from all training centers (male & female)
• Number of graduates from all technical community colleges.
• Number of all participants in TVET.

SOURCE
Records & Database of
• Vocational Training Corporation VTC.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Completion rate:
Number of completers by streamat ( vocational education + VTC + BAU Colleges )
Number of completers and sex
X 100%
Number of all entrants in the first year X year ago by streamin all sex (where
Number of all original entrance and TVET programs
x=duration of the stream)

38


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.

THE INDICATOR (17) Dropout rates by sex and stream. DR

DEFINITION: Number of dropout students/apprentices/trainees by sex and
stream to the number of participants in TVET by sex and stream.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of dropout students/apprentices/trainees from TVET training
programs by sex and stream.
• Number of participants in TVET training programs by sex and stream.

SOURCE:
Records & Database


CALCULATION FORMULA

Drop out rate:
Number of dropout students, trainees from TVET by sex and stream
x 100%
Total number of participants in TVET by sex and stream

39


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

employment.
THE INDICATOR (18) Percentage of graduates by sex and programme.
PG

DEFINITION: Percentage of graduate participants in TVET to total participants in
TVET training programs by sex


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of graduates by TVET training program by sex
• Total number of those who sit for final examination in the same specific TVET
training program by sex

SOURCE:
Records & Database
• Al Balqa Applied University, B.A.U

CALCULATION FORMULA
Number of graduates from a
specific TVET training program by sex
PG: x 100%
Total number of those who sit for final examination in
the same specific TVET training program by sex

40


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

o Rationalising the investment in training.
o Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure.

THE INDICATOR (19) Percentage of current public educational expenditure in
TVET to gross domestic product (GDP).

DEFINITION: All the educational current public expenditure in TVET as a
percentage of the gross domestic product.


REQUIRED DATA:
Public Expenditure (Current) at:
• Vocational Education (MOE).
• Vocational Training (VTC).
• Applied Education (BAU).
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

SOURCE:

Records & Database at:
• Central Bank of Jordan, and / or Ministry of finance.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Current public educational expenditure (JD) in TVET
X 100%
Gross domestic product (JD)

41

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

o Rationalisation investment in training.

THE INDICATOR (20) Public educational expenditure of TVET to the total public
expenditure.

DEFINITION: All the public educational expenditure (current) for TVET as a
percentage of public expenditure (current).


REQUIRED DATA:
Public Expenditure (Current) at:
• Training Education (VTC).

SOURCE:
• B.A.U.
• Central Bank of Jordan and / or Ministry of finance.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Public current educational expenditure on TVET (JD)
X 100%
Total public current expenditure (JD)

42


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

THE INDICATOR (21) public expenditure per student by type of education and
training.

DEFINITION: All the public education TVET expenditure per students.


REQUIRED DATA :
• Public educational (TVET) expenditure (current).
• Number of students in (TVET).

SOURCE :
• Central Bank of Jordan and / or Ministry of finance.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Public educational (TVET) expenditure (JD) (current)
X 100%
Number of (TVET) students

Public educational Voc. Education expenditure (JD) (current)
X 100%
Number of Voc. Education students

Public educational Voc. Train. expenditure (JD) (current)
X 100%
Number of Voc. Training students

Public educational Tech. Train. expenditure (JD) (current)
X 100%
PRESENTATION : of Technical Training students
Number
Tables or Charts.

43

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

THE INDICATOR (22) Private investment in educational institutions.

DEFINITION: Current private expenditures to total current public expenditures
plus current private expenditures.


REQUIRED DATA:
Public and private Expenditures (Current) at:
• Vocational Training (VTC).

SOURCE:
• Records & Database at the Vocational Training Cooperation (VTC).

CALCULATION FORMULA

Total expenditure of the private sector on TVET
X 100%
Total expenditure on TVET by the private sector + public expenditure on TVET

44


MAJOR OBJECTIVES

THE INDICATOR (23) Funds of TVET by sources and type of education and
training.

DEFINITION: All the educational public expenditures (TVET) distributed by
source :
• Public budget.
• Loans.
• Grants.
• Trainee fees.
• Production work


REQUIRED DATA:
Vocational expenditure (current) by:
• Local budget.
• Loans.
• Grants.
• Trainee fees.
• Production works.

Source:
Records & Database
• Central Bank of Jordan and/or Ministry of finance.

CALCULATION FORMULA

Public education (TVET) expenditure from local budget
X 100%
All public educational (TVET) expenditure
(public budget + loans + grants + trainee fees + production works)

Public educational (TVET) expenditure from loans
X 100%
(public budget + loans + grants + trainee fees + production works)

Public education (TVET) expenditure from grants
Public education (TVET) expenditure from production works
X 100%
X 100%
( publicbudget + loans + grants + trainee fees + production works) )
(public budget + loans + grants + trainee fees + production works

45


• MAJOR OBJECTIVES


THE INDICATOR (24) Cost per contact hour

DEFINITION: The expenditure in one year by stream per contact hour in the
same year and educational level.


REQUIRED DATA:
All for the same specialisation
• Number of contact hours.
• The total cost per stream.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

The expenditure in one year by the
educational level by stream
The cost per contact hour=
Contact hours in the same year
and educational level, by stream

46


MAJOR OBJECTIVES


THE INDICATOR (25) Graduate cost per programme.

TITLE AND DEFINITION

DEFINITION: The total amount of expenditure (current) on the TVET during the
studying years for program to the number of graduates.


REQUIRED DATA:
All for the same programme & institution
• Number of studying courses &/or years.
• The expenditure (current).
• The number of graduates.

Source:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Total expenditure (current) by TVET programme
during the studying years

Average graduate cost =
per programme Total number of graduates in a programme

47


MAJOR OBJECTIVES


THE INDICATOR (26) Teaching load per teacher.

DEFINITION: The number of teaching hours (courses) for each teacher by
stream.


REQUIRED DATA:
All for the same program:
• Number of teachers by stream.
• The number of teaching hours (courses).

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA

Actual contact hours by stream
Teaching load per teacher:
Number of teachers by stream

48

MAJOR OBJECTIVES


THE INDICATOR (27) Teachers’ qualifications by sex, stream, educational level
and years of experiences.

DEFINITION: The number of teachers in TVET in certain years by the
qualification level to the total number of teachers in TVET:
27-a: number of teacher in TVET in certain year by educational level
and sex to the number of teachers in TVET by sex
27-b: number of teacher in TVET in certain year by group of qualification years
and sex to the number of teachers in TVET by sex.


REQUIRED DATA:
All for one specialisation distributed according to gender:
• Total number of teachers according to years of experiences.
• Total no. of teachers distributed according to level of education in a school
year.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA
27-a The percentage of teacher’s qualifications by educational level and sex=

Number of teachers in TVET by qualification, stream and sex
X 100%
Total number of teachers in TVET by stream and sex

27-b According to years of experience distributed to groups of years and by sex=

Number of teachers in TVET by years of experience (groups of years), stream and sex
X 100%
Total number of teachers in TVET by stream and sex

49


MAJOR OBJECTIVES


THE INDICATOR (28) Cost of in service training for teaching staff training by
institution.

DEFINITION: Cost of in service training and human development in one year to
the total current expenditure for that year by institution.


REQUIRED DATA:
• Number of courses.
• Total cost for in services training.

SOURCE:

CALCULATION FORMULA
In services training cost per course and cost =
The total expenditures on training courses for all trainees by institution divided by
total expenditure (current) by institution

50

2.3 Applying the TVET indicators.
The TVET indicators in Jordan are grouped in five major groups: context
indicators, indicators on participation, achieving equitable outcomes,
rationalising investment in training and maximising the value of public TVET
expenditure. The application of the indicators defined in chapter 2 will be
discussed within the context of each of these groups. The indicators in each
group have been defined by the Jordan Technical Committee to measure
progress towards the major objectives. The groups do not match the major
objectives exactly. One of the major objectives, enhancing upward and
horizontal mobility in the labour market, is not being addressed in this phase
due to the difficulties inherent in collecting reliable data for indicators on it.
A fifth group of indicators was added to provide a context within which the
remaining four major objectives could be assessed.
Gender differentiated indicators allow decision makers to assess if there are
gender differences in the access to and participation in a particular part of
the education system. Gender differentiated indicators throw light on the
differences in the educational outcomes and in the possibilities open to
graduates depending on their gender. Throughout this section these
comments on gender and indicators hold true. All indicators that can should
be analysed in a gender perspective, as this is the only certain manner in
which to assess the gender impact of education policies.
Gender inequalities often reflect wider inequalities in a society, so the
existence of a gender inequality can in itself be seen as an indication of
further inequalities that should be addressed.
Having indicators by age gives the policy makers an intuitive way of quickly
assessing whether there has been changes over time. For example the
educational attainment levels are likely to change over time as larger and
larger groups in each generation get access to education of a higher and
higher level. The number of each age range with a certain educational
attainment can then be compared to ascertain the progress and whether it is
progressing at a satisfactory speed.
The goal of this chapter is not to exhaustively determine how and when
each of the indicators in chapter 2 should be interpreted or for that matter
presented. The goal is rather to emphasise some of the possibilities open for
interpretation and to highlight some of the potential pitfalls.
It must be stressed that an analysis of indicators covering one or just a
couple of years risks overemphasising phenomena or tendencies that are
not representative. Great care should always be taken not to draw
conclusions on too weak a material. It is well worth keeping in mind that the
data have usually been gathered some years in advance of the analysis and
that subsequent reforms or other developments may have made these data
misleading or even obsolete. At the same time it should be remembered
that many tendencies in the educational system have a long term nature
that make the most recent data less imperative. The analysis should always
base itself upon the most recent data available and efforts should be made
to have data made available in a timely manner, but depending on the focus
of the analysis it may be more important to raise the quality and reliability
of the data, rather than the timeliness.
The trade off between data timeliness and reliability is not easily resolved.
There is no point in having data for the present school year if the data are
not representative and if the bias in the data is not known. And on the other
hand, in general policy making, it makes little sense to develop high quality
data and indicators if it means that they are only available many years after
the end of the school year.

2.3.1. Context indicators
The context indicators provide the necessary background against which to
judge the progress of the education system in general and the TVET system

51

in particular. The TVET system is set up specifically to provide graduates
with skills and competences for the labour market. It is thus imperative that
the graduates improve the economic and social conditions within Jordan.
One way of measuring whether such an improvement is happening is
therefore to monitor the overall educational attainment levels of the
population, the labour force participation rates, employment rates and
unemployment rates. It should be kept in mind that unemployment rates
may be affected by things unrelated to the actual performance of the labour
market. It is therefore recommended to use employment rates to measure
the performance of the economy.
Another measurement of the economic performance is the gross domestic
product (GDP) per capita. By dividing the GDP with the number of
inhabitants it takes population growth into account. For example, the
economic growth in the USA is less impressive when it is recalled that there
has been a steady inflow of immigrants that have added to the GDP. On its
own the GDP per capita summarises where the economy of Jordan is in
comparison to other countries. Ideally it should be compared in purchasing
power parity terms, so as to take account of how much a dollar actually may
purchase in the local economy.
The unemployment rates by educational attainment serve to highlight the
premium placed on education. Where there are large differences in the
unemployment rates from one educational level to the next it indicates that
the education makes a difference in the employability of the person.
Conversely, where there is no or hardly any difference in the unemployment
rates it points to the education system not being able to provide skills at
different levels. Naturally, one should be careful not to over-interpret on the
basis of a single year as the rates may be influenced by sudden external
shocks.
Analysing the labour force participation rates and the employment rates by
educational level one gets a measure of how much the labour force, and
especially the employment, may be expanded if the educational level was
raised (typically the employment rates are higher with higher educational
levels, although there are exceptions. Such exceptions may indicate the
existence of dual labour markets).

2.3.2. Participation
The indicators in this group mainly highlight two aspects. On one hand the
indicators on distribution within each main category shows how the students
who have chosen a particular study decide to specialise themselves. On the
other hand the participation rates in TVET demonstrate the importance of
each programme within the larger context of TVET. All of the participation
indicators are based on enrolment data.
Participation rates must not be mistaken for completion rates, especially as
enrolment data is often collected early in an academic year. Participation
rates are occasionally used as (poor) proxies for quality in the absence of
any other indicator of quality.
Over time the rates may reveal changes in interest on the side of the
students, on the side of the education providers or in the admission criteria.
Flows throughout the whole education system may be examined if TVET
data is combined with data from general education. Increases in TVET
participation rates analysed in isolation would normally be regarded as a
positive phenomenon. But by analysing the TVET in isolation it is possible
that the analyst overlooks simultaneous decreases in general education of
an even larger magnitude that would lead to an overall negative description
of the development in participation patterns.
The Jordan Technical Committee has calculated indicators 6, 8 and 10 using
data for the school year 2002/2003. Out of a total of 69 931 TVET students,
8 109 were apprentices (for short we will refer to the apprentices and the
applied secondary education students as apprentices), 34 855 were other
vocational students and 26 967 were in technical education. This brings the

52

shares of apprentices, other vocational students and students in technical
education to 11.6%, 49.8% and 38.6% respectively. More than 60% of the
TVET students are thus in education linked to VTC and one out of every nine
of these is an apprentice. Conversely that means eight out of nine of these
students do not have a direct link to the labour market. A large proportion of
the total number of TVET students are in vocational education provided by
the Ministry of Education.

This data can be compared to data on employment or unemployment by
educational programme to discuss whether the right combination of
educational programmes is being offered.

The indicators can also be examined over time. The largest changes are in
the share of apprentices, which increases from 9.0% to 11.6%, and in the
share of students in technical/technician education which drops from 42.6%
to 38.6% from the previous school year. There has in other words been a
clear shift in where students enrol. Apprentices are becoming more popular
at the expense of technical education – at least in terms of relative
importance. The same tendencies are seen in the raw data, but there an
interesting gender difference is seen. From the raw data we can see that
there are about 1 000 more male apprentices and approximately the same
number of extra female apprentices since 2001/2002. However the number
of male technicians remains more or less stable whereas the number of
female technicians drops by more than 2 000 from 2001/2002 to
2002/2003. It would appear that women are turning away from
technical/technician education.

This simple analysis of the indicators must not be taken too serious. It is
based on only two years and it may well be that it was the year 2001/2002
which was abnormal and that the indicators for 2002/2003 represent a
return to a more normal distribution of students.

The indicators should be interpreted in the light of the overall importance of
the TVET sector, which is information that can be estimated from the
indicators on enrolment in the next section, 2.3.3.

2.3.3. Achieving equitable outcomes
Gross enrolment rates reveal how large the capacity is in an educational
system while the net enrolment rates measure how large a part of the
intended target population is indeed enrolled in a given programme. It
should always be remembered that net enrolment rates will be lower if
students enrol before the theoretical starting age. A net enrolment rate of
85% is therefore not necessarily proof that a given educational level has
failed to reach the whole of the target population. It is entirely possible that
15% of the population routinely start earlier than expected and that
similarly 15% finish the programme “too early” in order to advance to the
next educational level. Local knowledge about enrolment patterns is hence
crucial for a correct interpretation. A solution for a next stage of the work
could be to add an indicator on the early entrance or to calculate the
proportion of a generation which reaches the last year of a programme.
The gross and net enrolment rates by region have the same interpretations
as for the national level, except of course the area of validity is now the
region.
Enrolment rates are generally considered to be about access whereas
indicators such as completion and drop out rates point towards the efficiency
of the educational system. Do note that the completion rate indicates how
many passes through the school system, but it does not indicate anything
about the quality of the education the students have received. More than
once a country has been observed having a large rise (or fall) in completion
rates where it turned out upon closer examination that the rise was

53

predominantly caused by a relaxation (or tightening) of the graduation rules
and regulations. In some cases students pass from one level to the next, not
on the basis of them having achieved a certain level of knowledge, but on
the basis of a fixed number of places available in the higher level of
education. In such cases one can naturally not interpret the completion rate
as a genuine reflection of how many students had passed a given level at
the time of measurement.
Drop out rates pose their own difficulties, especially when carrying out an
international comparison, but also when comparing rates from one
education stream to another. The requirements in terms of academic
performance and attendance may diverge to such an extent that the rates
cannot be compared, simply because the requirements that students in one
stream may have to fulfil are far harder than the requirements in other
streams.
Lastly, the percentage of graduates by programme focuses on the number
of exam sitting students who pass the exam. The indicator thus indicates
both the willingness to sit the exam (if the number of exam sitters is put in
relation to the number of eligible sitters) and the degree to which the
students are genuinely prepared to sit the test.

2.3.4. Rationalising investment in training
The question of rationalising the investment in training is being addressed
by studying the financial resources allocated to education and training and
to TVET in particular.
The first indicator, percentage of current public educational expenditure to
GDP, is often used as an indicator of the public commitment to education. It
is perhaps best seen as a reflection of the part of the national wealth
allocated to education and hence as an indication of how many resources
that could potentially be freed for educational purposes. The public
commitment to education is measured more reliably through the percentage
of public educational expenditure to the total public government expenditure
as this indicator is not affected as much as GDP may be by external factors.
Splitting the public expenditure up by type of education and training and
dividing it with the number of students in each of these types of education
makes it possible to directly compare the cost of a student from one type of
education to another. There is a risk that such comparisons are used to
redirect resources from one programme to another merely on the basis of
the cost per student, but that is not a reasonable use of the indicator. It is
natural that some programmes are more expensive than others and at times
these differences may even be very large. Only where similar programmes
were compared could one talk about more or less efficient programmes. As
it is the indicator is useful for highlighting the cost to society of particular
studies. At times such information alone may be used to determine the
number of places made publicly available for future students. One example
could be a country that finds that the cost of producing certain graduates
domestically is more expensive than sending these students abroad and
paying for their degrees there. It may then make sense for a country to
cease the provision of that particular programme if it is assessed that the
programme cannot be provided at a higher level of quality domestically.
Ultimately, such decisions are political in nature, but with the right data at
least they can be made informed.
Similarly the distribution of public expenditure by type of education and
training provides a simple overview of the political priorities of the various
types of education. Highlighting the sources of the funds helps to make the
sustainability and local grounding of a given programme clearer.
Programmes based on loans may find access to funding harder if the general
economic climate should take a turn for the worse, for example, and local
funding may also be more susceptible to sudden changes.
Setting the cost per student relative to the GDP per capita is a useful way of
highlighting how many resources are being allocated to per student relative

54

to the wealth of the country. In higher education it is not abnormal to see
costs per student higher than the GDP per capita. This merely indicates that
the value of a higher education graduate is considered to be substantially
higher than the GDP per capita.
Relative proportions of public and private investment in educational
institutions can be used to examine the importance attached to certain parts
of the education system by the private sector. The more detailed the
information is the easier it will be to use the data to study in which areas
the private sector either finds a profit opportunity or sees a gap in the
provision of skills. To the extent that the private funding is non-profit it may
indicate areas with a perceived need for further funding which is not met by
public funds.

2.3.5. Maximising the value of public TVET expenditure
There is a certain overlap between this major objective and the previous,
rationalising the investment in training. To determine the optimal amount of
funds for education and/or training it is necessary to examine both the
availability of funds and their most efficient use. One way to determine
whether the allocation of resources is optimal is to look at the cost per
contact hour or the graduate cost per programme. Estimating the cost for
the visual outcomes, whether that is the number of hours of education
provided or the total number of graduates passing the final exam, provides
the policy makers with a more tangible idea of what they are getting for the
funding which they are providing.
A different approach is to examine whether the teachers have the necessary
qualifications. Does the level of qualifications live up to the expected
standards? Has sufficient funds been set aside for in-service training for the
teachers? Are the teachers working as expected? The teaching load may, for
example, indicate that teachers are not working as many hours as they are
being paid for. This would not in itself indicate that the teachers are lazy. It
may rather show that the teachers are over-worked and end up being so
stressed that it leads to sickness and absence or it may show that the pay
does not provide a sufficient income, forcing the teachers to take second
jobs at the detriment of their primary job. On the other hand, the teaching
load may also be higher than expected due to teachers sacrificing their
spare time to provide quality education.

2.3.6. Future indicators
In addition to the indicators discussed above we must not forget that as the
educational system is being analysed new indicators will become interesting.
When an indicator highlights, for example, that there is a tendency for more
students to choose to attend TVET than general education, decision-makers
will often want to know the underlying causes for such tendencies. Has there
been an increase in drop outs in general education? Are TVET graduates
more employable? These are some of the interesting questions that one
could imagine a decision-maker ask after having read an analysis of the
indicators presented in this handbook.
The second phase of the present project will focus on continuing education,
quality and efficiency among other things. One of the indicators that is
increasingly seen as important in the international context is the indicator
called survival rate to grade X. The indicator measures the percent of
students who make it through the education system to a specified grade. It
has traditionally been carried out for the first years of primary education,
but it can obviously be adapted to measure the share of a cohort that makes
it through VET at ISCED level 3, to give just one example.

2.3.7. Presentation of indicators
There is a multitude of ways in which to present an indicator. It can be
presented in tables, in text and in a graphic or other visual form. The most
appropriate form is dependent on the indicator itself and its complexity, the

55

intended audience and the media, i.e. printed material, presentation,
television or radio. Certain graphs may be correct, but contain such a wealth
of information that they become very difficult to understand for a lay
person.
For the indicators discussed in this handbook the most appropriate
presentation will often be a table or a graph. When the indicators are parts
of a larger whole, such as the distribution of TVET students among the
streams, it may be useful to present data for one year in a pie chart. With
data for the same indicators but for more than one year a different depiction
could be considered. The percentages of students by stream could be shown
in a line chart over time, allowing the reader to visualise the tendencies for
students to enter a given stream.
Graphs most commonly use:
• line charts to present time series;
• bar charts to present breakdowns of a given indicator by region or by
gender;
• cartographic representations to highlight geographical differences.

The choice of presentation will have to be based on the requirement for accuracy
or greater intelligibility. If we see a slight shift in an indicator such as education’s
share of GDP, we can present a table with the exact value varying slightly. By
contrast participation or drop out rates may have increased substantially and
therefore be more visible on a graph than in a table.
The rule of thumb is to be flexible and to choose the representation that conveys
the largest amount of information in the simplest manner for a non-specialist and
to do so in an honest manner. It must be remembered that the choice of layout of
a graph can have a significant impact on how the indicator is being interpreted.
Small variation can be exaggerated by only showing the part of the graph where
variation occurs, thereby making it appear larger and more dramatic than it
actually is.

56

2.4 Glossary of TVET Indicators Terminology

Age Group
A group of people, defined by age.
Applied Secondary Education
A stream of secondary education (vocational training), aims at preparing
participants to join the labour market. Participants do not sit for the general
secondary certification.
Apprentice
Any person who participates in apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeship
Formal alternate vocational training provided to individuals who are between
16-22 years of age and successfully completed the basic education cycle and
leads to skilled worker or craftsman skill level. The apprentice spends part of
the training duration in educational institution to learn theoretical knowledge
and the other part in an enterprise to acquire practical skills. Apprenticeship is
regulated by training agreements and contracts that specify duties and rights
of each party.
Basic Education
An education cycle which combines primary education and lower secondary
education, it represents the compulsory education cycle. The successful
completion of the basic education is a condition for continuing the secondary
cycle. It covers ISCED levels 1 and 2.
Capital expenditure on education
Expenditure for assets that last longer than one year. It includes expenditure
for construction, renovation and major repairs of buildings and the purchase of
heavy equipment or vehicles.
Community College Associate Degree
A certificate issued by Al Balqa Applied University to those who pass the
community college associate degree examination
Community College Associate Degree Examination
A comprehensive examination administered at the end of the technical /
technician education (community colleagues) to identify, validate and certify
the achievement of learners.

Completion
Meeting the prescribed requirements of completion of educational or training
programme.
Comprehensive Secondary Education
See secondary education
Contract hour
A period of face to face learning throw direct contact between the learner and
the teacher
Craftsman Level
The craftsman skill level category includes jobs that require the application of
practical skills and vocational knowledge related and cover the whole frame of
an occupation to enable them to practice the functions and tasks of an
occupation to the performance requirements of the labour market and to
enable them to distribute and schedule work activities and coach subordinates.
Individual at this category require education and training for one year after the
completion of secondary education or equivalent. The followings are examples
of jobs classified at this category: Tuner general, Salesperson general, Practical
nurse, Typical general and electrical house wiring general.

Credit Hour
A measure of academic work, one credit hour represents one hour of class time
(contact hour) per week per term.
Current expenditure on education
Expenditure for goods and services consumed within the current year and

57

which would be renewed if needed in the following year. It includes expenditure
on: staff salaries, books and teaching materials; furniture and minor
equipment, minor repairs, and other services and utilities.

Dropout
Withdrawal from an education or training programme before its completion.
Dropouts may also include learners who have completed education or training
but did not pass the examination.
Employment
All persons of working age who are working in the public and private sectors.
General Secondary Education Certificate
A certificate issued by ministry of education to those who pass the general
secondary education examination
General Secondary Education Examination
An examination administered at the end of secondary education to identify,
validate and certify the achievement of learners.
Graduate
Any person who meets the completion requirements of an educational or
training programme and passes the prescribed examination / test
Gross Domestic Product
A statistical measure of market value of the goods and services produced in a
country within a specific period of time.
Gross Domestic Product per capita
Gross domestic product divided by the number of inhabitants
Indicator
An indicator is not basic information; it is a corpus of information that has been
elaborated so a phenomenon can be studied. It is synthetic information that
will allow for measurement, evaluation and guidance. It should refer to a
desired goal or objective.

Initial Vocational Training
Vocational training carried out in the initial training institutions before entering
working life.
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)
A classification system that provides a framework for the comprehensive
statistical description of national educational systems and a methodology that
translates national educational programmes into internationally comparable
levels of education. The basic unit of classification in ISCED is the educational
programme. ISCED also classifies programmes by field of study, programme
orientation and destination.

Labour Force
The sum of those who are employed and unemployed from the age group of
15-60 (15-55 for the women).
Labour market
1. A labour market is the market in which potential workers seek to sell and
employers seek to buy labour services. Negotiations in the labour market
usually cover both pay and conditions of service.
2. The system of relationships between the supply of people available for
employment and the available jobs.
Med-university Education/community college
See technical/technician education.

Participant
Any person who registered and enrolled in educational or training programme.
Population
All residents at a reference period.
Registered student/trainee
Any applicant who paid the participation fees in educational or training

58

programme.
Secondary Education
An Educational cycle that follows the basic education of 2 years duration in
Jordan (3 years in some Arab countries). A general examination is
administered at the end of the secondary cycle. Those who pass the
examination can join higher education institutions.
Skilled Worker Level
The skilled worker skill level category includes jobs that require the application
of practical skills and vocational knowledge related to a division of the
occupation and do not cover the whole frame of the occupation to enable them
to perform job duties and tasks according to labour market requirements.
Individuals at this category require education and training at the secondary
education level or equipment. The following are examples of jobs classified at
this category: Welder, Electrical house wiring, Arab language typist, English
language typist and poultry worker.
Successful Completion
Meeting the prescribed requirements of completion of educational or training
programme and passing the final examination
Target Group
A group of people that a particular study aims at.
Teaching Load
Number of contract hours officially specified for a teacher per week
Technical/Technician Education
A post secondary level of education of 1-3 years of duration. The successful
completion of secondary education or equivalent is a condition for enrolment. It
covers ISCED level 4.
Technician Level
The technician skill level category includes jobs that require the application of
principles, concepts, methods and procedures related to work. This requires
that workers should process scientific, technical, practical and supervisory skills
to be able to understand and analyze the performance and to determine work
steps and follow-up its implementation. Workers at this category represent the
link between professionals and workers at the basic skill levels. Individuals who
perform at this skill category need training and education. At med university
level or community colleges. The following are examples of jobs classified at
this category: materials lab technician, draftsman, and electrical technician.
Theoretical age
The theoretical age refers to the age a student in a given ISCED level would be
expected to have based on the theoretical entrance age and the theoretical
(expected) duration.
Total public expenditure on education
The sum of the expenditure on education and education administration made
by central governments.

Unemployment
Unemployed person is any person of (15+) years of age who is without work or
job, able to work, is available for work and looking for it at reference period.
Vocational Education
See vocational secondary education. This term applies to vocational training in
some Arab countries (Syria and Lebanon).
Vocational Education Streams
Streams that are available in vocational education such as : industrial
education, agricultural education, postal education, nursing (paramedical)
education… etc.
Vocational Secondary Education
One of the comprehensive secondary education streams. Participants who meet
the completion requirements sit for the general examination / vocational
stream. Those who pass the examination have the right to join higher
education institution in specific specialisations.

59

Vocational Training
Training which aims to equip people with skills and competence that can be
used in the labour market.
Withdrawal
Any registered student/trainee who paid the fees and did not participate in the
education or training.
Working age
The working age in Jordan is 15-60 for the male population and 15-55 for the
female population.
Youth unemployment
The term youth is defined as comprising persons aged (15-24) years.

60

3. Some examples of calculated indicators

Indicators Years
Ind. 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004
No
1 Educational attainment (15 years+) by See table See table
age and sex. No (1) No (2)
2-a Employment rates by educational level See table
and sex. No (3)
2-b Unemployment rates by age, sex and See table
educational levels. No (4)
3 Gross domestic product per capita. (JD) 1337 1385 1534
4 Participation rates in TVET as 4.1 4.1
percentage of all participants of
education/ training (%)
5 Participation rates in TVET in institution 0.4 0.4
as a percentage of all participants of
education/ training (VTC) (%)
education/ training(MOE) (%)
education/ training (BAU) (%)
6 Percentage of apprentices to total TVET 9.0 11.6
participants . (%)
7 Distribution of apprentices by sex and
specialization (number or percentage)
to total participants. (%)
8 Percentage of vocational education 48.4 49.8
students to total TVET participants (%)
9 Distribution ( number or percentage ) See table See table
of vocational education students by sex No ( 5 ) No ( 5)
and type of education. (Numbers)
10 Percentage of students in technical/ 42.6 38.6
technician education to total TVET
participants. (%)
11 Distribution (number or percentage) of See table
participants in technical / technician No ( 6 )
education by sex, age and
specialisation. (%)

61

Table No (1)

Jordanian Population Age 15+ Years by Educational Level, Sex & Broad
Age Groups Year 2002 (%)

Sex & Educational Level
Broad Age Total 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Groups
Total 100 10.
5.4 12.7 17.4 17.9 0.8 18.0 8.3 9.2
3
15-19 100 1.3 1.2 10.1 20.2 48.9 0.5 17.7 0.1 0.0
20-24 100 1.8 2.1 8.1 5.2 30.7 1.7 34.5 7.3 8.6
25-39 100 3.4 3.5 13.2 25.0 8.4 1.2 16.7 15.0 13.5
40-54 100 15.
8.9 18.3 19.6 0.0 0.2 13.3 10.7 13.6
3
55-64 100 35.
14.0 17.1 11.0 0.0 0.1 7.7 3.9 11.1
2
65+ 100 57.
18.7 11.2 4.9 0.0 0.0 3.0 1.1 3.5
6

Male 100 5.4 5.8 13.8 18.4 19.2 1.5 17.5 6.7 11.7
15-19 100 1.3 1.3 10.6 20.4 50.8 0.9 14.6 0.1 0.0
20-24 100 1.7 2.4 9.3 5.8 32.9 3.0 32.8 4.4 7.8
25-39 100 2.0 3.2 13.7 25.9 8.4 2.1 16.5 11.7 16.4
40-54 100 5.4 7.2 18.5 21.9 0.0 0.4 14.6 10.8 21.1
55-64 100 14.
14.8 22.4 14.6 0.0 0.2 9.1 5.1 19.2
7
65+ 100 36.
28.8 16.3 7.1 0.0 0.0 4.1 1.6 5.7
4

Female 100 15.
5.0 11.5 16.5 16.6 0.2 18.5 10.0 6.6
2
15-19 100 1.2 1.2 9.6 19.9 46.8 0.0 21.1 0.2 0.0
20-24 100 1.9 1.7 6.7 4.5 28.0 0.3 36.6 10.7 9.6
25-39 100 4.7 3.8 12.7 24.1 8.4 0.4 16.9 18.3 10.7
40-54 100 24.
10.4 18.1 17.6 0.0 0.0 12.2 10.6 7.1
0
55-64 100 57.
13.2 11.3 7.2 0.0 0.0 6.1 2.5 2.3
3
65+ 100 82.
7.1 5.4 2.3 0.0 0.0 1.8 0.6 0.8
0

Educational Level 1= Illiterate, 2 = Read & Write, 3 = Elementary, 4 = Preparatory, 5 =
Basic Education, 6 = Vocational Apprentice-Ship, 7 = Secondary, 8 = Intermediate
Diploma, 9 = Bachelor & Above

Sources : DOS. Annual Report Of Employment and Unemployment Survey 2002

62

Table No (2)

Jordanian Population Age 15+ Years by Educational Level, Sex & Broad
Age Groups Year 2004 (%)

Sex & Educational Level
Broad Age Total 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Groups
Total 100 19.
10.3 4. 4 12.6 18.0 0.7 17.0 8.0 9.4
7
15-19 100 1.2 1.0 14.2 21.2 48.5 0.5 13.4 0.0 0.0
20-24 100 1.7 1.4 6.7 4.8 32.8 1.4 35.7 6.5 9.0
25-39 100 3.4 2.7 11.6 23.1 14.4 0.9 16.0 13.6 14.2
40-54 100 13.7 6.6 17.1 23.8 0.0 0.4 13.7 11.9 12.8
55-64 100 36.1 11.9 16.8 12.8 0.0 0.1 7.6 4.4 10.4
65+ 100 565 16.1 11.2 7.9 0.0 0.0 2.9 1.3 4.2

Male 100 5.6 4.7 14.1 18.7 21.1 1.3 16.4 6.6 11.5
15-19 100 1.5 1.2 15.6 20.2 49.3 0.9 11.2 0.0 0.0
20-24 100 1.7 1.4 8.1 5.5 36.5 2.6 33.7 3.3 7.2
25-39 100 2.1 2.5 12.7 23.9 14.7 1,6 15.1 10.6 16.6
40-54 100 4.9 5.1 16.9 26.0 0.0 0.7 14.7 12.6 19.0
55-64 100 13.
13.1 21.7 16.7 0.0 0.3 9.9 6.6 18.3
5
65+ 100 37.2 22.7 16.9 10.9 0.0 0.0 3.2 1.6 7.4

Female 100 15.1 4.1 11.0 17.2 18.2 0.1 17.5 9.4 7.3
15-19 100 0.9 0.7 12.6 22.2 47.6 0.0 15.8 0.0 0.0
20-24 100 1.6 1.3 5.0 4.0 28.5 0.1 38.0 10.3 11.1
25-39 100 4.6 2.9 10.5 22.3 14.1 0.2 16.8 16.5 12.0
40-54 100 21.8 8.0 17.2 21.7 0.0 0.1 12.8 11.3 7.1
55-64 100 58.4 10.7 11.9 8.9 0.0 0.0 5.4 2.2 2.5
65+ 100 79.1 8.3 4.5 4.3 0.0 0.0 2.4 1.0 0.4

Educational Level 1= Illiterate, 2 = Read & Write, 3 = Elementary, 4 = Preparatory, 5 =
Basic Education, 6 = Vocational Apprentice-Ship, 7 = Secondary, 8 = Intermediate
Diploma, 9 = Bachelor & Above

Sources : DOS. Annual Report Of Employment and Unemployment Survey 2004

63

Table No (3)
Employment rates by educational level and sex, 2004
Participation Rate
Vocational Intermediate
Illiterate Read & Write Primary Basic Education Preparatory Apprenticeship Secondary Diploma Bachelor Higher Diploma Master Ph.d
Male 33.04 52.66 61.70 60.64 66.56 88.61 52.67 87.53 86.36 85.67 81.71 86.72
15-19 39.15 80.62 30.08 25.09 13.50 68.44 14.52 100.00
20-24 48.60 93.31 89.74 89.17 91.95 92.67 27.88 94.91 83.43 100.00
25-29 72.57 87.94 94.73 96.05 92.21 91.67 79.22 94.68 94.91 100.00 90.68 100.00
30-34 49.85 99.18 90.47 98.38 96.70 89.91 96.67 97.28 97.95 100.00 91.42 100.00
35-39 79.32 88.91 90.66 91.51 100.00 94.72 96.67 99.85 100.00 95.44 100.00
40-44 74.32 84.64 83.57 86.49 100.00 89.77 94.72 94.60 100.00 100.00 100.00
45-49 77.18 77.79 72.21 77.27 67.82 88.86 87.68 90.63 100.00 90.66 100.00
50-54 52.15 58.96 54.05 67.96 53.13 76.01 68.35 82.62 94.40 85.26 100.00
+55 17.22 26.78 28.80 32.80 76.33 35.20 33.00 49.09 48.78 36.54 68.03

Female 1.47 2.24 1.91 4.38 2.98 14.05 6.88 30.34 60.67 64.34 73.76 78.56
15-19 1.66 2.06 0.80 0.94 0.52 1.90 0.00
20-24 7.20 6.54 4.98 8.40 3.17 56.02 4.72 40.55 65.25
25-29 6.66 3.88 3.49 7.15 4.28 12.70 10.70 32.77 68.58 100.00 94.93
30-34 2.43 3.17 2.74 6.64 4.96 0.00 13.04 30.48 61.19 100.00 47.38 100.00
35-39 5.72 1.90 2.67 3.11 14.78 27.26 61.58 100.00 81.40 100.00
40-44 2.40 5.37 1.54 3.84 7.66 30.72 50.46 49.01 100.00 100.00
45-49 2.55 3.87 0.29 4.62 0.00 5.37 22.03 42.62 12.26 81.66 0.00
50-54 1.19 0.00 2.29 1.64 2.96 17.77 30.17 100.00 39.71
+55 0.52 0.20 0.67 2.34 2.49 1.65 15.00 0.00 100.00

Table No (4)

Jordanian Unemployed Persons Age 15+ Years by Sex and Educational
Level-2004

Sex
Educational Level
Total Male Female
Total 2204 1805 399
Percent 100 100 100
Illiterate 2 2,3 0,5
Less Than
58,6 69,3 10,3
Secondary
Secondary 10 10,3 8,5
Intermediate
11 6,1 33,3
Diploma
Bachelor & Above 18,4 12 47,4
Note: Slight differences in the totals of some tables are due to weighting procedures
and rounding of figure
Sources: DOS. Annual Report Of Employment and Unemployment Survey 2004

Table No (5)
Distribution of students enrolled to vocational education by type of education and sex
for the year 2001/2002
Type of Male Female Total
education
Commercial 5051 4979 10030
Agricultural 1218 211 1429
Industrial 8790 16 8806
Nursing 735 1698 2433
Hotel 2577 0 2577
Home economics 63 7736 7799
Total 18434 14640 33074

Sources: MOE. The educational Statistical Report 2001/2002

Distribution of students enrolled to vocational education by type of
education and sex for the year 2002/2003

Type of Male Female Total
education
Commercial 5140 5567 10707
Agricultural 1250 206 1456
Industrial 9250 53 9303
Nursing 758 1778 2536
Hotel 2503 0 2503
Home economics 67 8283 8350
Total 18968 15887 34855

Sources: MOE. The educational Statistical Report 2002/2003

Table No (6)

Distribution of students enrolled to technician education by programme
and sex for the year 2002/2003 (%)

Programme Male Female Total
Languages 0.1 0.4 0.3
Education 1.1 25.8 16.7
Engineering 23.5 1.8 9.8
Agriculture 1.3 0.6 0.9
Para-medical 16.0 13.9 17.8
Administrative and 30.1 32.6 31.7
finance
Information management 12.4 11.5 11.9
Hotel management 8.5 0.5 3.3
Applied fine arts 5.4 5.1 5.2
Applied science 0.1 0.4 0.3
Social workers 1.5 7.3 5.1
Total 100 100 100

Sources: MOHE. Annual Statistical Report on Higher Education in Jordan for the
year 2002/2003

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