Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN2802
2002-05-30 12:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

CHIEF OF MISSION SUPPORT FOR AMMAN AMERICAN

Tags:  OEXC SCUL JO 
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UNCLAS AMMAN 002802 

SIPDIS

FOR ECA A/S PATRICIA HARRISON FROM AMBASSADOR EDWARD W.
GHNEM
FOR ECA/A/L (WILGUS, JANET),NEA/PPD (BAROODY, JUDITH),
NEA/ARN, NEA/EX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL JO
SUBJECT: CHIEF OF MISSION SUPPORT FOR AMMAN AMERICAN
LANGUAGE CENTER

UNCLAS AMMAN 002802

SIPDIS

FOR ECA A/S PATRICIA HARRISON FROM AMBASSADOR EDWARD W.
GHNEM
FOR ECA/A/L (WILGUS, JANET),NEA/PPD (BAROODY, JUDITH),
NEA/ARN, NEA/EX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL JO
SUBJECT: CHIEF OF MISSION SUPPORT FOR AMMAN AMERICAN
LANGUAGE CENTER


1. I STRONGLY SUPPORT AMERICAN EMBASSY AMMAN'S DIRECT
ENGLISH TEACHING PROGRAM AND THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF
THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE CENTER (ALC) AS A PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY TOOL. THE ALC'S GOAL TO BECOME A MODEL OF
ENGLISH TEACHING IN THE REGION WILL INCREASE THE ALC'S
ABILITY TO CHANNEL TUITION PROFITS INTO DISCOUNTED
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR TARGETED AUDIENCES SUCH
AS THE MEDIA AND MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TEACHERS. THIS
GOAL DIRECTLY ADVANCES MPP GOALS AND IS WHY POST WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE ALC CONTINUE AS PART OF THE MISSION.


2. MY PREDECESSOR, NOW NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY
WILLIAM BURNS, HELD A SIMILAR VIEW. IN A FEBRUARY 2000
MEMO TO ECA, HE WROTE: "THIS PROGRAM DIRECTLY FURTHERS
OUR MPP GOALS, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR JORDAN'S POLITICAL
LIBERALIZATION EFFORT, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT,
AND INSTITUTION BUILDING. THE ALC PROVIDES
PROFESSIONAL, SPECIALIZED, ISSUE-SPECIFIC LANGUAGE
INSTRUCTION TO POTENTIAL DECISION-MAKERS IN THE
JORDANIAN BODY POLITIC, INCLUDING PARLIAMENTARIANS,
MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND CIVIL SERVANTS FROM
THE MINISTRIES OF FINANCE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS."


3. TWO YEARS LATER, THE ALC CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN
ITS ALREADY EFFECTIVE PROGRAM. ITS LATEST AMERICAN
TEACHING METHODS, UPDATED COMPUTER LAB AND INTERNET
STATIONS, AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF ENABLE THE ALC TO
PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE-ART ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING TO
JORDANIANS THAT ASSISTS THEM IN PARTICIPATING IN
TODAY'S GLOBAL ECONOMY. THE ALC'S EDUCATIONAL AND
CULTURAL OUTREACH EFFORTS ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO
REMAIN ABOVE THE POLITICAL FRAY IN THIS PERIOD OF
INCREASING REGIONAL TENSIONS. ENROLLMENT IS ACTUALLY
GROWING. ON APRIL 14, 2002, THE BEGINNING OF ALC'S
MOST RECENT SESSION AND DURING THE PEAK OF REGIONAL
CRISIS, THE ALC ENROLLED 448 STUDENTS - A RECORD NUMBER
FOR JUST ONE 8-WEEK SESSION.


4. I UNDERSTAND THE ALC MUST TRANSITION FROM USING
BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENTS (BPA'S) TO NEW HIRING
PROCEDURES TO COMPLY WITH IRS REGULATIONS. JULY 1,
2002 IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR CONVERSION OF 5 FULL-TIME
AND 11 PART-TIME EMPLOYEES TO PSA WOULD INCREASE THE
ALC PORTION OF PD'S ICASS BILL BY ABOUT 11,200 DOLS IN
FY-2002 (PARTIAL YEAR). THE FULL-YEAR INCREASE (FY-
2003) IS ESTIMATED AT $16,600. NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE
FULL-YEAR ESTIMATE DEVELOPED BY THE ICASS SOFTWARE
COULD BE UNDERSTATED BY AS MUCH AS 40 PERCENT BECAUSE
INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME TO
CALCULATE ITEMS SUCH AS OVERHEAD AND DISTRIBUTED COSTS.
POST BELIEVES THAT THE ALC CAN SUPPORT THE ADDED COSTS
OF HIRING TEACHERS USING PERSONAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS
(PSA). THE ALC HAD MORE THAN A $100,000 CARRY OVER IN
FY-01.


5. AN INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE MISSION ICASS
STAFF MIGHT/MIGHT BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE NEW PAS ALC
POSITIONS, DEPENDING UPON THE TIMING. ACCORDING TO THE
ICASS NSDD-38 MODULE, THE CONVERSION OF 16 ALC
EMPLOYEES TO PAS WOULD RESULT IN A NEED FOR A .48
(POINT FORTY-EIGHT) INCREASE IN THE LES SUPPORT STAFF.
WHICH AGENCY PAYS THE FIRST-YEAR COSTS FOR THE
ADDITIONAL POSITION(S) WILL DEPEND UPON THE ORDER IN
WHICH THE STAFFING INCREASES ARE IMPLEMENTED.
WHICHEVER STAFFING INCREASE RESULTS IN THE NEED FOR AN
ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME LES POSITION WILL PAY THE COSTS
FOR THE FIRST YEAR. SINCE THE POSITION COSTS WOULD BE
SPREAD AMONG ALL ICASS PARTICIPANTS IN THE FOLLOWING
FISCAL YEAR, THE POST ICASS COUNCIL MUST APPROVE ANY
STAFF INCREASES.


6. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE ALC IS AN EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TOOL THAT WORKS. I
APPRECIATE EFFORTS BY THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION AND
CULTURAL AFFAIRS (ECA) TO FIND WAYS TO ENSURE THE
CONTINUED VIABILITY OF THE ALC IN AMMAN.

GNEHM