US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1020

UNCLAS MANAMA 001020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PPD JDAVIES AND APENDLETON; R: MTUTWILER AND 
JBRAMBILLA; NEA/EX: CKEITH; ECA/P: DIVES; ECA/A/L: OKERR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL, KPAO, BA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAINI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRATEFUL FOR 
MICROSCHOLARSHIPS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 40341 
 
1.  Twenty Bahraini high school students and their 
families gathered at the American Cultural and Education 
Center (ACEC) on June 23 to receive Certificates of Award 
for the Micro Scholarship for English language study 
funded by R and administered by the post.  Charg 
d'Affaires Molly Williamson presented the Certificates of 
Award to the students after an informal discussion about 
the importance of English language knowledge.  PAS 
arranged for media coverage with articles appearing in 
both Arabic and English dailies. 
 
2.  The students, who will begin their senior year in the 
fall, are part of a pilot program in which they will 
study English during the summer at ACEC. Post worked 
closely with the Ministry of Education to select the 
twenty students based on financial need and academic 
performance.  Prior to receiving the scholarships, these 
students would never have dreamed of participating in 
English language classes at ACEC. Although cheaper than 
its competitors, ACEC is still unaffordable for many 
Bahrainis.  For the majority of the scholarship 
recipients, and their families, this was the first time 
to visit ACEC and to have personal contact with a high- 
level American official. The father of a veiled female 
student exclaimed, "the American Embassy is kind to 
reward my daughter's hard work. I am proud that she will 
have similar opportunities as other students." A 
recipient of the scholarship said, "maybe one day I can 
visit America to practice the English that I will learn." 
 
3.  The scholarship recipients will participate in 
enrichment activities with American companies, the 
American Studies Center at the University of Bahrain, and 
at the Embassy, to practice their English skills.  After 
completing the initial summer pilot program, post plans 
to increase the program to fifty high school students 
during the 2004/2005 academic year. 
 
WILLIAMSON