text: further education. The number of persons benefiting from such education has been increased to include the vast majority of social categories. 16. Education is a national priority in Jordan's development projects and also in its policies for the future, and is a matter of ongoing concern for Jordan's political and community leaders at all levels. In his address delivered before the National Assembly in 1985, H.M. the King emphasized "the need to enhance the educational system in order to enable it to keep pace with developments in the field of science and other branches of knowledge, to adapt to social and cultural changes and to absorb and respond to new factors in various sectors of society with a view to bridging the gap between individual and collective requirements, on the one hand, and the educational system, on the other”. 17. For the last two decades, Jordan has been applying the principle of overall development plans. The most recent of these was the five-year plan for 1986-1990, which called for a linkage between the development of education and socio-economic needs based on the future requirements defined in the plan. 18. The First National Conference on the Development of Education was held from 7 to 9 September 1987. One of the main topics of discussion at the Conference was the structure of education, the need to raise the general educational standard of students entering the labour market after completing their basic education, and the need to extend the period of compulsory education and link it to the minimum working age. The discussions also focused on the need to eliminate the barriers separating the various forms of general and vocational education at the secondary level and to improve the standard of secondary education in such a way as to make it more intensive 
analysis: The text primarily focuses on the importance of education in Jordan's development projects and policies, highlighting its role in bridging the gap between individual and collective requirements. It also discusses the need to raise educational standards, extend compulsory education, and eliminate barriers between general and vocational education. These themes suggest that education is a key aspect of Jordan's development strategy.