To enhance English language proficiency among students, the United States government has initiated the English Access Scholarship Programme in Nigeria.
The $40,000 initiative, spanning 2024-2026, aims to empower disadvantaged yet talented students in SS1 and SS2 from Kuje, FCT Abuja, with essential English skills.
Hosted by the KNOSK N100-a-Day School in Kuje, 45 participants are drawn from the school and seven public secondary schools in the community.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, participants will receive two years of free English language learning, training in computer literacy, improved performance in external exams like WAEC and NECO, exposure to U.S. culture and values, as well as free meals, transportation, and textbooks.
Speaking at the launch of the programme on Sunday, the Cultural Attaché, Public Diplomacy Section, United States Embassy Abuja, Brian Neubert, said that since its inception in 2004, approximately 175,000 students in over 85 countries have participated in the Access Programme.
While explaining that the programme also aims to improve students’ chances for future U.S. exchange or academic programmes, the Cultural Attaché highlighted its role in creating educational opportunities and promoting values such as global citizenship and democratic principles.
He called on the students to take full advantage of the opportunity, noting that it would equip them with critical 21st-century skills, such as collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking, which will empower them in their educational and career pursuits.
“This programme is a significant step toward providing inclusive access to education for young minds in our community, built on four essential pillars that guide its implementation: global citizenship themes, 21st-century skills, U.S. culture and values, and communicative English language instruction.
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“The Access Programme is more than just an English language course; it serves as a gateway to new opportunities, enhancing cultural understanding and laying a foundation for future success. By improving English proficiency, we are not only enhancing educational and employment prospects but also fostering greater cultural ties between Nigeria and the United States,” he said.
The diplomat applauded KNOSK School for its commitment to providing access to quality education for children from low-income families, stressing that this aligns with the goal of the Access Programme.
The Guardian reports that with just N100 (5 cents) daily school fees, students of KNOSK School receive free books, uniforms, sportswear, daily lunch, and monthly sanitary pads for girls.
Government officials who spoke at the event, including the Area Officer, FCT Department of Mass Literacy, Kuje Zonal Office, Hassan Ebute, and Nkechinyere Emeghebo from the Department of Quality Assurance, Kuje Zone, lauded the U.S. Government for the initiative and emphasized the importance of students utilizing the opportunity.
On her part, the co-founder of KNOSK N100-a-Day School and Coordinator of Learning for the English Access Scholarship Programme, Irene Bangwell, said 96 students from low-income homes wrote the entrance examination, out of which the top 45 were selected.
She also revealed that the teachers were drawn from other institutions.
Her words: “This programme is presenting another way of teaching English language. There is a consistent problem where we have kids finishing SS3 who can’t read and write well. So, the Access Programme is bringing a very profound way of teaching English language and learning. The first thing I expect to see is greater use of appropriate English by students.
“This programme is strictly for children in public schools in Kuje, but KNOSK is the host and the only private school involved.”
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