The US Consulate and Lahore-based NGO Care (Co-operation for Advancement, Rehabilitation and Education) on Thursday signed a $150,000 grant agreement that aims to teach English to 300 students from government schools in Lahore over a two-year period under the Access English Micro scholarship Programme.
Public Affairs Officer Kathleen Eagen signed the agreement on behalf of the US Consulate while Managing Trustee Seema Aziz represented Care Foundation. The agreement signed also renews a two-year grant of $150,000 made to Care in 2004.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ms Kathleen Eagen commented on the successful implementation of the pilot project in Lahore.
She said: "The extraordinary success of the Access English pilot project in Lahore has encouraged us to not only renew the programme in Lahore, but also to expand it to other cities. The programme will give these bright students the English language skills so necessary to compete for college admissions and later on in the job market. Learning English through a programme associated with the US Consulate will also provide the students with a window on American values and culture that will in turn enhance trust and understanding between our two nations."
Ms Eagen also noted "The Access programme will open the door for these students to participate in many American educational and cultural programs such as Fulbright scholarship programme. I wish Care Foundation success in carrying out this important project."
It may be mentioned that the Access English Micro-scholarship Programme is an initiative of the US State Department that provides an American-style classroom experience to underprivileged youth around the world. The goal of this two-year programme is to adequately prepare bright students in written and spoken English so that they can compete more effectively with students who have studied in English-medium schools for admission to Pakistani colleges and universities and improve their ability to obtain good jobs upon graduation. The first Access programme in Pakistan was started in 2004 in Lahore.