Khaled Toukan Minister of Education Dr Khaled Toukan `has been the Minister of Education for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since 2000. He previously served as Minister of Higher Education (2001-2002) and President of Al-Balqa Applied University (1997-2001) Dr. Toukan's academic career includes the positions of Acting Dean of Faculty of Engineering & Technology and Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan, Research Scientist at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, and Associate Research Scientist at the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia. Dr.Toukan is a Member of the International High Level EFA Group, a member of H.M. King Abdullah II Economic Consultative Council, Acting Director of SESAME, and the Jordan representative to SESAME Council and Vice –Chairman. Dr Toukan's awards include the UNESCO Ghandi Medal of Peace, (2003), the Royal Grand Gordon of Alkukab Al-Urduni, (2003), the Theos, J, Thompson Fellowship (1980-81) in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at M.I.T., and the Duetscher Akademischer Austauschdienst. Born in Amman in 1954, Dr Toukan is married with 3 children. He holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (1978-1982), an M.Sc. degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Michigan, (1976-1978), and a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from American University of Beirut, (1971-1976) .

Youth Care: A Worldwide Beneficial Investment

The concern for and investment in young people, which is the theme of the 47th session of the International Conference on Education, are issues of worldwide importance. The youth of all countries have a significant and distinctive role in becoming engaged in, contributing to and supporting comprehensive and integrated lifelong learning and development, for many important human, political, economic, and social reasons. The qualitative and quantitative impacts of youth in many areas of life and work add greatly to the well-being, health, and quality of every society.

The percentage of youth in Jordanian society in particular and Arab society in general is comparatively very high. Using the definition of youth adopted by UNESCO (ages 15-24), the percentage of youth in the Jordanian population is 23%. The figure for those below the age of 15 is 39.6%, and those below the age of 30 is 74%. This represents a strong indication that Jordanian society is, and will continue to be, very young, energetic and dynamic. However, there is need for increasingly rational, targeted and directed investments to provide services for youth and this is a major challenge for those responsible for youth to ensure their full and appropriate preparation towards empowerment as change agents for future national growth as expressed within His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision of Jordan becoming a regional role model for human resource development in the knowledge economy and global society.

Our view of youth and their potential to support economic change in Jordan underlines the importance of their responsibilities as they become the pioneers and leaders of the processes of economic growth through innovation and development: a national project uniting the present with the future. We have great hopes for our youth and expect their creativity, intellect, experiences, skills and competencies to fully support the successful transition to a future of growth and prosperity.

The care of youth, in all its aspects, and none more so that education, is considered a prime investment for the long term. In return for the proper care and preparation that we provide, we will receive much in the way of enriched human experience, which will indeed become the human resource wealth and resource to face internal and external economic and social challenges in a rapidly changing region and world.

The education system has a crucial role in preparing and empowering youth through an array of educational and social experience. The education system of Jordan must continually strive to provide sound and proper environments for learning and growth and contribute fully to the required nurturing and caring for youth. Our rewards will be young citizens who are well-qualified and trained, multi-talented, capable of self-learning and lifelong learning, flexible and open to other cultures, and entirely comfortable in coexisting and integrating within their environment.

These are the characteristics which are needed most in an age of increased globalization of economic activity and opportunity. The ‘knowledge economy’, in the Kingdom, the region, and the world, urges us to find and use all the very best practices in the education of youth as a means to support all individuals to attain their potential in learning, work, and achievement as contributing members of a progressive, successful and stable society.