IMPACT-se Report - Falling Short:
Review of Jordanian Textbooks for 2024-2025

A May 2025 IMPACT-se report analyzing 294 textbooks from Jordan’s 2023–2025 national curriculum reveals that the content continues to fall short of international standards for peace and tolerance in education despite some revisions and new materials. The report highlights persistent anti-Semitic tropes, justification of violence against Israelis, including references to the October 7 Hamas attack, endorsement of jihad and martyrdom, and homophobic messaging. While some positive steps are noted, such as content reflecting Jordan’s promotion of coexistence through the Amman Message, the overall trends remain unchanged from previous years, raising ongoing concerns about incitement and intolerance in the country’s educational system.

The following is an executive summary of the report. For the full report, click here.

This IMPACT-se report examines textbooks from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s national school curriculum approved for the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 school years. The review encompasses 294 textbooks, including newly created and pre-existing materials, covering Islamic Education, Arabic Language, Social Studies, National and Civic Education, History, and Geography. The analysis measures the content against UNESCO-derived standards of peace and tolerance in education.

The main finding is that, compared to previous reviews, there was no substantive change in adherence to these international standards. While many textbooks have been revised or are new, the overall trends remain largely consistent, indicating that the Jordanian curriculum persistently falls short of the standards.

Key areas of concern identified in the review include:

• Jews and Anti-Semitism: The curriculum frequently reinforces the theme of Jewish betrayal, depicting Jews in general as having regularly violated agreements and conspired against Muhammad. The teacher’s guide instructs educators to teach that “the Jews always breached agreements and violated treaties” and links this behavior to modern punishments for high treason. A Grade 10 Islamic Education textbook teaches that Jews controlled Medina’s economy before Muhammad and implies that greed, fraud, and usury are inherent traits of Jews in general, rather than specific historical tribes. The Battle of the Trench narrative blames “the Jews” in general for inciting conflict against Muslims. The Jews of Banu Qurayza are presented as an example of “high treason” punishable by death for allegedly betraying Muslims and conspiring with enemies. Some maps label Israeli territory as “Palestine”.
• Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A textbook was introduced that appears to justify the October 7 Hamas attack by downplaying it and presenting it as a response to Israeli oppression. It refers to Israeli civilians taken hostage as “settlers” in “Israeli colonies,” implying they are legitimate targets. While some reports suggested its removal, this passage still appeared on the official curriculum website. The description of the conflict often portrays Israeli actions as “oppressive Israeli aggression and siege” while omitting attacks against Israel, such as the October 7 massacre or fedayeen attacks in the 1950s-1960s. Humanitarian efforts coordinated with Israel are presented as Jordan “breaking this siege” in defiance of restrictions. A poem refers to expelling “ghosts” and “ravens,” identified as “The Zionist Occupiers” in supplementary materials. Textbooks state that the Temple Mount has no connection to Jewish history.
• Jihad and Martyrdom: The curriculum promotes the role of jihad in repelling aggression. One textbook states that Muslims must perform jihad against enemies if declared by the head of state, and warns of severe consequences for abandoning jihad. “Jihad in the particular sense” is defined as attacking aggressors, although it is stated to be the state’s responsibility. Figures who died fighting for the Palestinian Cause are glorified as heroes and martyrs. Martyrdom is depicted as achieving a badge of honor through sacrifice and referred to as “a death that enrages the enemy”. Handwriting exercises include sentences like “The blood of the martyrs purified the soil of my land”.
• Non-Muslims: While some content presents Jordan as a model of coexistence and highlights the Amman Message promoting inter-religious harmony and rejecting violence, other content reinforces a distinction between “believers” and “infidels,” stating that the destiny of the latter is Hellfire. The founding of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is attributed to an act of arson against Al-Aqsa Mosque by a “fanatic Zionist”.
• Gender and Sexual Orientation: The curriculum includes homophobic content that promotes hatred towards minorities based on sexual or gender orientation. It condemns “homosexual propaganda” and associates illnesses with “prohibited sexual relations”. Some Islamic education content defines the wife’s duties as obeying her husband and protecting his honor and property. However, other parts of the curriculum highlight women’s increasing roles and achievements in Jordanian society across various fields and mention national efforts to combat violence against women.

The report also notes positive examples in the curriculum, such as content promoting the Amman Message and Jordan’s role in fostering coexistence and rejecting extremism. The appendix documents instances where problematic content was removed in recent revisions, including explicit negative characterizations of Jews, glorification of martyrdom in specific violent contexts, and exercises promoting hatred against Israelis. However, the report concludes that similar problematic notions persist in the current curriculum.

Source: “Falling Short: Review of Jordanian Textbooks for 2024-2025,” IMPACT-se, (May 19, 2025).