Nanhi Chhaan conducts English workshop in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 22

Nanhi Chhaan Foundation (NCF), a non-profit organisation, working in the field of gender equality and environment, today held an English Access Micro-scholarship programme in collaboration with Regional English Language Office (RELO) of the US Embassy. The NGO has been collaborating with the RELO since 2015 with its implementation of the English Access Micro-scholarship programme in Amritsar region. Since then, the NCF has successfully completed two Access programme cycles for 200 economically disadvantaged secondary-school students of government and private secondary schools in Qila Jiwan Singh and Fatehpur Rajputan village in Amritsar.

Through this US State Department-sponsored global initiative, the graduating students received 400 hours of after-school English language classes over two years, along with personal development programmes, activities to build volunteerism, leadership skills, global awareness, appreciation of Indian and American democratic principles and cultures, and to enable them to successfully compete for opportunities in higher education and better their employment prospects.

“The classes were led by five English language teaching (ELT) professionals using a learner-centred communicative approach. To ensure the quality of teaching, they received regular professional development by an expert trainer from this field, as well as training opportunities provided by RELO,” said National Manager for the NCF Aditya Dayal. Dayal said the two-year English Access Micro-scholarship Programme provides a foundation of English language skills to bright, economically disadvantaged 13–23-year-old students through summer intensive camps.

The programme was conducted at the Government Institute of Garment Technology (GIGT) in Amritsar and on November 23, it will be conducted at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) College in Verka. Fifty polytechnic students and 50 undergraduate students from GIGT and GNDU College will receive certificates signed by the Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy to mark their induction into this prestigious programme. Regional English Language Officer Ruth Goode said the two-year Access Programme provides students with enhanced skills in English and critical thinking.