Earlier last evening, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller congratulated the 76latest graduates of the U.S. State Department-funded English Access Microscholarship Program. Ambassador Miller praised the 38 young women and 38 young men from local madrasas and public schools in Rajshahi and Chattogram for their hard work in completing the program during the pandemic. “Since its inception, the Access program continues to provide students around the world with a life-changing opportunity to achieve their dreams. I believe this is only the beginning of the many accomplishments you will continue to achieve throughout your lives…More importantly, I believe in you and so do your teachers, classmates, and loved ones who have supported you throughout this remarkable journey. You are the talented and bright leaders who will shape the course of Bangladesh’s future. You are the next generation of changemakers who will help us continue to make progress in solving our world’s most pressing challenges. You are extraordinary beyond measure.” he said.
The English Access Microscholarship Program is a rigorous, two-year interactive program building a foundation in the English language, American culture, critical thinking, and leadership skills for 13-17-year-olds from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and helps them become more competitive for higher education and employment opportunities. Currently, 200 students are virtually participating in Access programs in Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chattogram. Since it began in 2004, 1,336 Bangladeshi students have successfully completed the program. Yesterday’s graduating class joins 95,000 other Access program alumni in more than 85 countries around the world.
The Access program is one of U.S. Embassy Dhaka’s many initiatives to strengthen and expand people-to-people ties and educational linkages between the United States and Bangladesh, enhance the quality of education locally, and empower Bangladeshi youth through innovative learning opportunities.