ISLAMABAD:23 June: The US embassy hosted an orientation for 40 public-school English teachers, half of them women, who will travel to the United States for six weeks of intensive training as part of the US government-funded Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) programme.

The teachers were selected from hundreds of public secondary school teachers who had applied for the training opportunity. The TEA programme provides educators a unique opportunity to develop subject expertise and enhance their teaching skills.

Participants will engage in group-training seminars and internships at US secondary schools. The US State Department is paying for all the travel, living stipends, health insurance, and tuition for the entire period of study.

US Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Officer Brent Beemer encouraged the teachers to take advantage of the opportunity and return to Pakistan prepared for a challenge; “to teach your students to write and speak excellent English, nothing less”.

Beemer told the teachers that the TEA programme was part of the US government’s commitment to education in Pakistan, and in particular the enhancement and encouragement of its teachers. “With 70 percent of its population under the age of 30 years, the future of Pakistan and its role in the world is dependent on the success of its children in school right now. The job of educating that generation relies on teachers like you, and what an opportunity. Imagine tens of millions of educated, multi-lingual young Pakistani men and women serving as soldiers, politicians, diplomats, engineers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, businessmen, and teachers. What a great nation and a great world they – through you – will build,” he said.

USEFP, a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States, is one of 51 Fulbright Commissions located throughout the world.

Since its inception, more than 61 years ago, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and more than 800 Americans have participated in USEFP-administered exchange programmes.

In addition to the Fulbright programme, USEFP administers a number of scholarship programmes for undergraduates, teachers, journalists, and other professionals. In addition, USEFP offices in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi assist students interested in applying to study in the United States by offering free advising services. The USEFP also runs testing centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, administering the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, and other standardised examinations.Daily Times.