On March 4, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Ambassador Richard H. Jones celebrated the achievements of more than 2,500 public school teachers who completed English language training through the Developing Rehabilitation Assistance to Schools and Teacher Improvement (D-RASATI 2) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The English Language component of the D-RASATI 2 program, which ran from January 2014 – February 2016, provided public school teachers at the pre-intermediate, intermediate, and upper intermediate levels from across Lebanon with training in the English language to improve the delivery of classroom instruction in English.
At the graduation ceremony for participants, CDA Jones highlighted that “all of Lebanon’s full- time public school teachers who use English as their language of instruction have received at least 100 hours of English language proficiency training.” He also stressed that “training teachers is integral to building a critical mass of educators with the expertise and knowledge to ensure that Lebanese students’ succeed in fulfilling their considerable potential.” Minster of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) Mr. Elias Bou Saab and MEHE Director General Mr. Fadi Yaraq also attended the graduation ceremony.
English language training is only one part of the D-RASATI 2 project. Through D-RASATI 2, USAID has provided more than $28.5 million since 2013 to support the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s efforts to enhance the learning environment in public schools and provide dynamic learning opportunities for school administrators and teachers, while increasing parent and community involvement in the development of the public school system. D-RASATI 2 activities have included the purchase of tablets and laptops for public school classrooms, intensive coaching on how to integrate technology into the classroom, and training on the organization and delivery of extra-curricular and leadership activities. Over the past 10 years, the U.S. has invested more than $240 million in Lebanese public schools to ensure that all Lebanese students receive a high quality education.
Please see D-RASATI’s website for further information: http://www.amideast.org/lebanon/institutional-strengthening/d-rasati
