Balqa, Dec. 16 (Petra) – Prime Minister Dr. Jaafar Hassan on Tuesday checked on several sites in the areas of Ain al-Basha, Baqa'a, Safout, and Umm al-Dananeer, located in the central Balqa Governorate, as part of his regular field visits.

Beginning his tour by inspecting Safout Health Center, the PM, in the presence of the Minister of Health, listened to the feedback of patients and staff on the health facility, which was established in 1988 in a leased building and serves approximately 15,000 residents of the surrounding villages.

The PM directed implementation of "immediate and comprehensive" maintenance work on the center and secure the necessary supplies to ensure service continuity to citizens to find an alternative building for relocation.

During his visit to the Vocational Training Institute in Ain al-Basha district, the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Labor, reviewed the institute's "high-quality" vocational and technical training programs.

The PM commended the programs' standards, urging the need for their continued development and sustainability to equip graduates with the required skills to enter the labor market and provide opportunities to launch their own productive projects.

The PM also said training should focus on the technical and vocational skills to join the labor market, instructing providing trainees with the necessary skills during the development of major national projects.

The Vocational Training Institute in Ain al-Basha district is the largest institute of the Vocational Training Corporation, with over 1,000 trainees enrolled in various vocational and technical specializations.

The institute houses 24 training workshops and a language lab that focuses on teaching languages ​​needed by the labor market.

Besides training, the institute issues professional practice certificates to employers and undertakes productive projects to serve the local community.

The Prime Minister also visited Umm al-Dananeer Secondary School for Boys in Ain al-Basha district.

In the presence of the Minister of Education, the PM listened to the concerns of students and teachers about the school, which was established in 1961 and houses over a thousand students.

The school direly needs replacement to accommodate the students and eliminate the double-shift system.

The PM directed the construction of an additional building for the school, within the list of schools to be constructed under the Corporate Social Responsibility project launched in partnership with the private sector.

Scheduled to be completed in 2027, the new building will provide 24 classrooms, which are sufficient to accommodate the school's students, as well as laboratories and playgrounds with all necessary facilities.

He also directed that comprehensive maintenance on the school's existing building, which contains 16 classrooms, to ensure the continuity of the educational process until the new site is completed.

During his visit to Prince Hussein Bin Abdullah II Hospital in the Ain Al-Basha district, the PM, accompanied by the Minister of Health, inspected several departments and facilities.

The PM listened to feedback from patients and medical and nursing staff and directing expedited expansion of the kidney department, which would integrate with the services of the Digital Health Center and provide specialized medical clinics.

The hospital, established in 2010, serves approximately 200,000 people and has 114 beds, with an occupancy rate of around 50%.

The Prime Minister also visited Baqa'a Park, directing its modernization and the upgrading of its playgrounds, facilities, and open spaces.

The PM also ordered construction of a new five-a-side football pitch and the provision of necessary services to make the site a recreational area for families, children, and residents of the area.

In a related matter, the PM directed maintenance of main roads in Baqa'a camp, improvement of their lighting infrastructure, and implementation of stormwater drainage network projects.

The Prime Minister was accompanied on the tour by the Minister of Local Administration, Walid Masri, and the Governor of Balqa, Faisal Smiran.

//Petra// AG