2024-2026 English Access Microscholarship Program

Description

The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to implement the 2024-2026 English Access Microscholarship Program in Cameroon, at one of the three priority cities: Ngaoundéré in the Adamawa Region, Douala in the Littoral Region, Bafoussam in the West Region, or Bertoua in the Est region. The Access program will provide English-language instruction to disadvantaged students, to include students from urban, rural, and/or ethnic minority regions of Cameroon. The English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) provides a foundation of English-language skills to talented 13- to 20-year-old from disadvantaged sectors around the world through after-school classes and intensive summer sessions in their communities. As part of their course work, Access students gain an appreciation for American culture and democratic values, increase their ability to participate in their countries’ socioeconomic development and better prepare themselves to compete for future U.S. exchange and study programs. Access programs give participants English skills that may lead to better jobs and educational prospects. The program also provides U.S.-based professional development and English-language workshops for selected teachers and students. Since the U.S. Department of State launched the program in 2004, approximately 200,000 students in more than 90 countries, including approximately 500 Cameroonians have participated in the Access Program. The Access Program is designed to take place over a 2-year period beginning in the Fall of 2024 and ending in 2026. The program's start and end dates encompass all Access-related activities that occur before the start of instruction, such as recruiting teachers and students, purchasing books and supplies, and after the completion of instruction, such as the closing ceremony and final reports. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Priority Regions: Ngaoundéré in the Adamawa Region, Douala in the Littoral Region, Bafoussam in the West Region, or Bertoua in the Est region. Program Objectives: The Access program in Cameroon will promote citizenship in Cameroon through increasing the English language, critical thinking, and leadership skills of economically disadvantaged Cameroonian youth from rural and suburban secondary schools. All proposed projects must aim to advance the goal stated above, contain a substantive American element, and achieve the following specific objectives: · Provide at no cost a foundation of English language skills to bright, economically disadvantaged Cameroonian students that improves their future academic and employment prospects while exposing them to U.S. culture and values; · Introduce participants to critical thinking and problem-solving skills while promoting access to information in English; improve students 21st century skills, job readiness and their potential to fully contribute to the socio-economic development of their country; · Increase their ability to compete for and participate in U.S. exchange and study programs; and · Include project-based learning including off-site immersion activities as well as civic outreach activities to develop participant’s leadership and interpersonal skills. The Access Program must deliver a minimum of 360 hours of total instruction. The various aspects of the Access Program are: · After-school/weekend instruction; · Project-based learning Intensive sessions; and · Teacher professional development. Please see the link for further information on the English Access Microscholarship Program: https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/english-access-microscholarship-program Technical and infrastructure requirements: · The provider must specify the location(s) of the Access Program and space that will be used for the classes and activities. · The provider must either provide verification that the space belongs to the grantee or a written agreement with the holder of the space. · The space must have seating for 30 students; it must have a blackboard/whiteboard, power outlet, and minimal sanitary requisites. · The space should also have Internet capability (or the grantee should consider providing for this separately). · Providers are also encouraged to share any other unique learning spaces on the premises that are accessible to the program and that add to the overall experience (theater, garden, sports facility, etc.). Functional requirements: · In consultation with U.S. Embassy Yaounde, the provider is responsible for setting criteria for and identifying “economically disadvantaged youth” to be enrolled in the program. · The provider is responsible for identifying and recruiting qualified teachers. · The provider is required to produce frequent reports (usually quarterly) and a substantial final performance report. The provider should monitor students’ attendance and performance. · The provider will submit regular highlights, with photos, based on criteria provided later. · The provider will monitor classes and activities to ensure quality of the program. It is therefore recommended that providers have a staff member with a background in education or English language instruction. · The provider will maintain records on graduates that will be added to the U.S. Embassy Cameroon Alumni database in order to include them in follow-on programming. Assumptions and agreements: Providers may develop proposals with a budget limit up to $40,000. $30,000 to design and implement a comprehensive program for a cohort of 30 Access students and 5 Access teachers in one of the priority cities. $10,000 to plan and budget for at least two hours of paid professional development per teacher per month for all in-country Access teachers (15 individuals). This would be a separate budget, capped at $10,000, but should be included in the same proposal. These capacity building activities would consist of two (02) in-person workshops and virtual sessions through the Access Teacher Community of Practice (CoP). The Embassy reserves the right to split the capacity-building activities component between two or more providers and may request providers to adjust their final proposals and budgets as necessary. All possible costs—instruction, books/materials, transportation, enhancement activities, administration, food and accommodation – should be covered. It is preferable that teachers have degrees or diplomas in English language teaching or education and a minimum of two years’ experience teaching English full-time. The instructors should be comfortable and fluent in English and have some cross-cultural experience; preferably with U.S. culture (familiarity with the culture is stressed over actually having visited the United States). Teachers should have progressive views about methodology, employing learning-centered approaches that focus on tasks and projects that lead to interactive classes. Teachers should be adept at integrating modern technology into the classroom, and at creating a comfortable risk-taking atmosphere that allows students to learn in a non-competitive and intellectually stimulating environment. Participants and Audiences: The grantee organization will be expected to create cohorts of 30 students ages 13-20 in either Ngaoundéré, Douala, Bafoussam or Bertoua secondary schools. The target audience should be from socially and economically underprivileged groups with an interest in community actions and a motivation to learn U.S. culture and values. Selected participants must be bright, economically disadvantaged students with beginning level of English. Participants should commit to enroll in classes during the full two-year program. Students will graduate with certificates of completion from the U.S. Embassy Yaounde at the end of their two-year program. American Content: Proposals must include an element of American expertise, American resources on the topic at hand, or American cultural or societal experience relevant to the topic. This may be accomplished by incorporating U.S.-origin materials, theories, or other resources, or the involvement of American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) – or Cameroonian alumni of U.S.-sponsored exchange programs – that will promote increased understanding of U.S. values, culture, policy, and/or perspectives. The following types of activities are not eligible for funding: ● Scholarships for study in the United States or to fund conference attendance or study tours to the United States ● Activities that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship. ● Construction activities ● Programs that support specific religious activities ● Fund-raising campaigns ● Cash prizes for participants

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