US embassy cable - 04MANAMA292

UNCLAS MANAMA 000292 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/PPD JDAVIES; ECA DIVES; ECA/A/L-OKERR; R 
TUNIS PLEASE PASS RELO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, OEXC, KPAO, KIRC, BA 
SUBJECT: MICRO-SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDY 
 
REF: A) STATE 040341; B) STATE 40950 
 
1.  Post welcomes the micro-scholarships for English 
language study initiative outlined in reftel A.  This 
program will assist post in raising the English 
language abilities of an important target audience. 
 
2.  Post's outline of plans to start up this program in 
Bahrain follow: 
 
  --  Program administration/funding:  PAS Manama will 
  issue a grant totaling $18,000 to the American 
  Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) to run this 
  program.  ACEC is a local, privately-owned and 
  operated English language center loosely affiliated 
  with the Embassy.  The Gulf RELO attends ACEC Board 
  meetings and we have had an English Language Fellow 
  placed at ACEC for each of the past three years. 
  One important caveat:  ACEC does not have a Dun and 
  Bradstreet number, which is now a requirement for 
  all Department-funded grants.  We will advise ACEC 
  to apply for the Dun and Bradstreet number and, upon 
  its issuance, make preparations to issue the grant. 
  The Dun and Bradstreet website advises that it takes 
  up to thirty business days for an organization to 
  receive their DUNS Number.  This will delay the 
  start up date for this program in Bahrain. 
 
  --  Academic content:  Post's exceptional junior 
  English Language Fellow has been offered a position 
  to remain at ACEC as Academic Director when her ECA- 
  funded Fellowship ends in June 2004.  Post will 
  request that she be primarily responsible for the 
  micro-scholarships program, including the academic 
  content, enrichment activities, and other 
  requirements during its start-up and implementation 
  phase.  Post appreciates the ability to provide ACEC 
  with some of the in-country staff costs ($120 per 
  student as stipulated in reftel A), as it provides 
  us with the necessary leverage to ensure that the 
  program will be well-run. 
 
  --  Selection:  Post will work with ACEC to select 
  students from up to four secondary schools (two 
  boys' schools and two girls' schools) that have a 
  concentration of non-elite, socio-economically 
  disadvantaged students.  We need to request 
  permission from the Ministry of Education to offer 
  the scholarships and then develop a selection 
  process in cooperation with the Ministry - or the 
  selected schools, per guidance from MinEd.  The RELO 
  and/or the APAO will represent the Ambassador on the 
  selection committee for these scholarships. 
 
  --  Micro-scholarship "calculations":  The cost of a 
  six week course at ACEC totals $305, which includes 
  all coursebooks and student materials.  This 
  reflects the high cost of living in the Gulf and 
  Bahrain (e.g., high teacher salaries, facilities 
  rent and maintenance, and utilities/air 
  conditioning).  As a result, the $18,000 allotment 
  transferred to post in reftel B will provide 
  approximately 13-14 scholarships for approximately 
  eight to nine months of study. 
 
  --  Materials:  Post looks forward to receiving 
  ECA's English-in-a-box teaching materials to pass to 
  ACEC to assist with the curriculum development of 
  this program.  Please advise ASAP when these and 
  other appropriate materials will be available.  ACEC 
  continually requests materials from post and we 
  regularly provide Department produced materials. 
  ACEC would welcome enhancement materials such as 
  graded readers, posters, paperback novels, U.S. 
  maps, biographies of American leaders, and U.S. and 
  state flags. 
 
Ford