The number of student admissions in public schools witnessed an increase in 2020 with the enrolment of  120,000 pupils, an Education Ministry official told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

The economic impact due to the virus-induced closures of sectors have led many parents to reconsider sending their children to private schools, the official, who preferred not to be named, said.

Among the reasons for the increase is also the adoption of distance learning in all schools, which "does not differ much between private and public schools”, according to the official.

The official also highlighted that the ministry is handling the rise in admissions by renting more buildings and resorting to the shift system in some cases.  

Rula, a mother of two, said that her husband lost his job due to the pandemic and that keeping her children in a private school has become a burden.

"I don’t believe keeping my children in a private school is something essential at the moment. I am already paying for extra private lessons, so it doesn’t matter whether the kids go to a public or private school,” Rula said.

However, for Rana, a mother of four, private schools provide better education. "Although private schools are more expensive, I think they provide better educational services even during distance learning,” Rana said.