Arba Minch University (AMU) in collaboration with the United States Embassy of Ethiopia held the opening ceremony of English ACCESS Scholarship program for high school students on January 25th/2025. US Department of State will sponsor the program and four high schools’: Arba Minch Comprehensive, Chamo, Abaya and Limat High School students will be benefited in the two years program from 2024 – 2026. Click here to see more photos.
Academic Affairs Vice President and Delegate for University’s President, Dr. Eng. Bogale Gebremariam (PhD), officially opening the ceremony said and this program is going to be sponsored by US Embassy. Education is a base for innovating new ideas and things and language is the key in this process, he noted. This program helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their English language skills and the students who get this opportunity are models and you must work hard to be successful; and we are also here to support you, he underscored.
RELO Director, Gena Rhoades (PhD), from US Department of State Regional English Language Office (RELO)-US Embassy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said, ACCESS is the largest program US manages around the world. Since it was launched in 2004 in Morocco, over 100,000 young people from more than 90 countries worldwide have been part of ACCESS; so, you are now part of this big group of people all over the world, remarked. The reason we invest in ACCESS is because it simply is a great way for us to invest on young around the world and it is the way to enrich the classroom learning and provide some extra educational opportunities, she explained. Young people want to learn English because it opens opportunity doors for work, studies in Ethiopia and overseas, opens the world of information to them allowing them to find information beyond what is available in their need of language and helps them to participate in global conversation, she noted. She furthermore added for the next two years you will be ACCESS students learning among the 94 students participating in ACCESS in four cities in Ethiopia. Enjoy the program and you will be learning about each other’s cultures and comparing them to US, visit American corners and other universities participating in service learning projects, and learn life skill in general, she revealed. Finally, she congratulated the students for being the part of the ACCESS program and wished them success in their endeavors.
AMU ACCESS Program Director, Abate Anjulo (PhD), in his a lowdown brief, said, it is with immense joy and honor that I welcome you all to this special occasion, the official opening ceremony of the ACCESS Scholarship Program in AMU. We come together to celebrate not just the start of the program, but the beginning of an extraordinary journey of growth, learning and opportunity, he noted. You are stepping into a program that will not only sharpen your English language skills but also prepare you to become confident, empathetic and visionary leaders in your communities, he inspired. The program also includes global citizenship, 21st century skills, US culture and values, and English language instructions, he added. Social emotional learning is another important skill you will develop in this program; furthermore, the Access program is more than just a scholarship; it is a gateway to opportunity, a platform for personal and academic growth, and a community where students can discover their potential and build lasting connections, he emphasized. Revealing the future plans, over the next two years, students will engage in creative learning activities, develop valuable life skills, and explore new perspectives that will shape their futures with sustained support and guidance from AMU’s side, Dr Abate said.
The ACCESS program coordinator of AMU, Adanech Zemede (PhD), briefly explained what the Access program is, when was it established in the world and in Ethiopia, who benefits from the program, its goals, duration, instruction and activities included in the program, program pillars, what is expected from parents, about program impact, and how they select the dedicated educators and students.
Access Alumni from Gambella region and now AMU freshman student Ms. Hibist Ayehu and US Exchange Alumni and AMU staff Ms. Gelila Bresaw shared their experience about the benefit of the program. Finally students’ parents raised questions and the concerned officials responded to their queries. The students were handed over the certificate of the scholarship award.
Mr. Sileshi Kassa, director of Arba Mich Comprehensive High School remarked that the program is very helpful for our students in developing different skills, learning and comparing their culture with US culture and values. He also noted the students share their experiences during their stay together. Mahilet Wonde, one of the participant students from Chamo High School, said, I am very glad to be the part of this program and I hope I will get a lot of opportunities from the program including Scholarship and experience sharing.
36 students with their families, school directors from the four high schools, invited guests, assigned teachers, staff from US Embassy, Ethiopia, and AMU English Fellow group were in attendance.
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