Grade 8 learners from Lindile High School received certificates last Wednesday, after successfully being inducted into the English Access Microscholarship Programme presented by the United States of America Embassy.
The school had a certificate-giving ceremony where learners recited poems and delivered speeches to parents, teachers and representatives from the US Embassy.
The programme is an international project aimed at helping teenagers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to have better opportunities in employment, education and life in general.
Access, as the programme is called, promotes skills in and knowledge of the English language, as well as giving learners the ability to compete and participate in future exchanges and study in the United States.
Learners in more than 85 countries have participated in the programme since its founding with the principal objective being to change their lives, improve their social skills and leadership. It develops social awareness about the country’s problems, and how they can solve them as well.
The programme is free of charge and study material is provided by the American Embassy.
“We welcome you into the Access Army and hope you will take full advantage of this amazing opportunity we have presented to you,” said Ms Lerato Masha from the US Embassy.
Lindile High School is one of many schools chosen to participate in the programme with their Grade 8s all receiving the scholarship for a duration of two years.
The certificates were also a way of encouragement to the learners for their participation in the programme.
They will reach a high level in Intermediate English through classes after school and intensive courses during the school holidays.
They will learn and participate in activities on the culture of the United States and personal development (goal setting, how to write a résumé, how to do a job interview, how apply for a bursary).
“We are excited that we are part of a programme of this magnitude and I can guarantee that our learners will take this opportunity and excel in it,” said Lindile High School principal, Mr J.Z Dlamini.
