VZCZCXRO5733
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0423/01 0590941
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280941Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7516
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000423 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, ECA/A/L 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO SCUL AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANS SEE ENGLISH TRAINING AS ROAD TO FUTURE 
 
¶1. Summary: "English + Youth = Jobs + Hope," Afghanistan's former 
Minister of Education, Mohammad Atmar, concisely formulated.  With 
an unemployment rate hovering around 40%, Afghans view English 
language training as an opportunity for better jobs and pay; PA 
views it as an opportunity to offer alternative world visions and 
options to those who might otherwise have none.  Information, 
progressive ideas, an educated middle class, economic development 
and positive engagement with the West are all dependent upon access 
to English language programs. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  What works?  The English Access Microscholarship Program is the 
basis of Post efforts as it offers non-elite students the 
opportunity to gain tangible job skills in a cost effective manner. 
In the short time that this program has run at two sites in Kabul, 
it has supported English language classes for 1,600 students.  In 
2009, this program will expand to include an additional two sites in 
Kabul, as well as sites in Kunduz, Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat, Bamyan, 
Khost, Kandahar, and Jalalabad.  Total investment of just over half 
a million dollars has resulted in two years of English language 
instruction for more than 2,700 students. 
 
¶3.  Evidence of the Access program's success in Kabul arrived in 
November when an implementing partner sent us a list of about 50 
students who have found lucrative jobs in Kabul province working in 
national and international organizations.  These former students all 
came from low-income or refugee-returnee families.  We have heard 
similar stories from the director of the orphanages where we run our 
Access program - a boy who got a job working for the Germans, a 
woman who got a scholarship to the King's Academy in Jordan - all 
because they speak English. 
 
¶4.  Efforts to teach English in Afghanistan are in their infancy.  A 
major impediment to spreading these skills is a lack of qualified 
teachers.  To address this, PA organized three one-week visits by 
the Senior English Language Fellow (ELF) in New Delhi over the 
course of the past year.  His highly popular teacher training 
courses have benefited English teachers who will train professors at 
Education Training Faculties in different provinces around the 
country.  We also have targeted English departments at Kabul 
University, Kabul Education University, and ELTAA (English Language 
Teacher's Association of Afghanistan) coordinators and members. 
Repeat visits by the same Senior ELF increased the effectiveness of 
the program since he was already familiar with the situation in 
Kabul and could progressively build upon concepts previously 
covered. 
 
¶5.  In order to support provincial teacher training, post supported 
six-week workshops in early 2009 in Herat, Ghor and Bamyan 
provinces, which were conducted by an Indian-based organization. 
For $56,000, these three workshops reached 360 English teachers in 
the regions.  Such initiatives should not just be continued, but 
expanded to reach even more provinces. 
 
¶6.  Post also supported the creation of the English Language 
Teacher's Association of Afghanistan in 2007.  In two years, ELTAA 
has held two annual conferences, numerous workshops, and training 
sessions through its six regional branches and two Kabul branches. 
The organization also serves as a job-placement resource, as several 
universities have sought ELTAA members for various positions.  ELTAA 
members will coordinate Access programs in Khost, Kandahar, and 
Jalalabad - cities where security concerns make it difficult for the 
Embassy to conduct programs. 
 
¶7.  The programs we're sponsoring are successful - Access, training, 
supporting ELTAA - but could accomplish more with sufficient funding 
to expand to a larger scope.  Demand for additional Access programs 
is great - we have several outstanding proposals, including one for 
a special girl's program in Kandahar.  Teacher training efforts are 
focused on Kabul Education University and Kabul University, but we 
should expand to work with other institutes, both in Kabul and 
throughout the country. 
 
¶8. With additional funding, PA could expand our extremely successful 
English language programs to reach a younger and wider audience, 
while enhancing educational opportunities all the way up the chain, 
since Kabul University is planning to convert its language of 
instruction to English in 2012.  This would allow Post to fulfill 
the endless desire for English language training.  With greater 
support we can increase the number of people impacted by our 
programs and eligible up through the training continuum for programs 
such as YES and Fulbright.  While Access funds can be used for 
immersion camps, we decided to use this year's funding to support 
two year programs because they are much more cost effective; Access 
funding would not have allowed us to do both.  Past English 
immersion camps have been successful in identifying students from 
under-served areas who have potential to become strong leaders. 
Fifteen of this year's YES students participated in this immersion 
cammp.   Additionally, building in pedagogical workshops for 
teachers strengthens English instruction capabilities.  But they 
come at a significant price - the immersion camp in early 2008 came 
with a price tag of approximately $1 million. 
 
KABUL 00000423  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶9.  We also feel that we could play a significant role in building 
up English teaching programs at one Kabul-based university and seven 
provincial universities.  We would like to employ available Western 
contractors and USG alumni to conduct intensive teacher and student 
training, leaving each university with a world-class English 
teaching department.  Each university would also receive internet 
hook ups and computers to enable the staff and students to quickly 
reap the benefits of their English training.  At many universities, 
senior students start as English teachers immediately after 
graduation, having little or no training in pedagogy.  These young 
teachers lack resources, and native-speakers (or near-native, in the 
case of YES alumni) would offer considerable support. 
 
¶10. Afghanistan's highly successful Lincoln Center program also 
emphasizes English language training.  Unfortunately, due to 
budgetary constraints, each Lincoln Center is staffed only by 
volunteer teachers.  The Embassy uses incentives such as training, 
free materials, and small honoraria to reward these teachers who 
regularly donate hours of time each week.  Each of Afghanistan's 
Lincoln Centers (currently five, with three new centers scheduled to 
open by June) currently hosts free English classes daily, which 
served more than 5,000 students in 2008.  Most of these programs 
target intermediate and advanced speakers.  A small amount of 
additional funding for increased honoraria could significantly 
increase the effectiveness of our programs.  English language 
classes are the number one request of Lincoln Center visitors - and 
have been a clear success as visitors improve their English, are 
introduced to American citizens and culture, and enhance their 
chances for international scholarships and local education. 
 
¶12. Afghanistan's madrassas offer another area rich with potential 
for expanding English teaching.  The Ministry of Education (MOE) 
runs English classes at 12 higher education madrassas (Darul Ulooms) 
and plans to implement English classes at the remaining thirty.  The 
MOE is currently unable to support English teaching in the remaining 
469 (out of 511) madrassas and other religious schools in 
Afghanistan, leaving plenty of opportunities for expanding our 
English Access program. According to the Minister of Education's 
Chief of Staff, "We should invest in such a program in order to 
ensure stability in Afghanistan." 
 
¶13. Lack of Public Affairs staffing is a significant impediment to 
our implementing the most effective English language program 
possible in Afghanistan.  Currently, the CAO oversees the FSN 
English language coordinator as one of many responsibilities. 
Because of the workload, the CAO's secretary position was recently 
converted to an English Language Office administrative assistant 
position.  Specialist expertise is still needed, for which post has 
recently submitted a request for a Senior English Language Fellow to 
coordinate teacher training both in Kabul and regionally.  Post also 
strongly supports the request for a Regional English Language 
Officer to be shared with Pakistan. 
 
¶14. Conclusion: Afghans are lining up to "buy" American language and 
culture - will we offer enough to meet the demand?  Can we afford 
not to? 
 
Dell