BENIN: GPRA REPORT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000754 PARIS FOR ARS (DWINTON) DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD (ANYASO, TITUS, LISENBY),AF/W (ACOOK) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIRC OIIP KDEM KPAO KISL PINR ML SUBJECT: BENIN: GPRA REPORT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK NOVEMBER 17-21, 2008 REF: SECSTATE 117838 SUMMARY: The Public Diplomacy Section of the American Embassy in Cotonou organized communications on the exchange programs and the showing of the films titled "If You Want to Study in the U.S.", "On Behalf of All Women", "Akeelah and the Bee", as the activities scheduled to mark the International Education Week. END SUMMARY. ¶2. DATE OF ACTIVITY: November 17-21; First quarter, FY 09. ¶3. PROGRAM JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVES: PAS Cotonou promotes International Education Week (IEW) on the Road by implementing a series of activities to highlight the impact of international exchange and the educational opportunities in the United States, the importance of education, and to encourage girls to go to school and teach them that where boys succeed, girls can do as well. ¶4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES AND AUDIENCE REACHED: Promoting Education, Basic Health and Human Rights. At least 700 participants, including students from the International Christian School of Benin, the Nigeria International School, the University of Abomey-Calavi, the University of Parakou, the Teachers' Training Colleges in Porto-Novo and Natitingou, the Military High School for Young Girls in Natitingou, faculty members and other interested guests took part in these programs. The week-long programs held across the country were covered by all major media outlets including TV, radio and print media. Estimated audience reached: 3.5 million. ¶5. ACTIVITIES/IMPACT/RESULT: To launch this important week, Ambassador Gayleatha Brown was the special guest on the government-owned TV station, with an audience estimated at 2.5 million. The Ambassador seized this opportunity to reiterate the conviction that enduring friendships and partnerships created through international education and exchange are important for a secure future for all countries. She underlined that the doors of U.S. educational institutions are open to all qualified students and professionals from around the world and encouraged Beninese students to prepare themselves for scientific fields of study, since science and technology constitute an important engine for Africa's economic growth and sustainable development, that can induce self reliance and facilitate the full integration of Africa into the global economy. To begin the week, Public Affairs Officer Rhonda Watson and her colleagues launched on November 17, 2008 the International Education Week and the Fulbright Program for the academic year 2010-2011, at the University of Abomey-Calavi, a pioneer institution that has an enrollment of over 50,000 students. An audience of 100 including university authorities, faculty members and students attended the launching ceremony. A book exhibition was also held at the American Corner of the University of Abomey-Calavi for 2 days, November 17-18, to market our products, services and resources. Nouveaux Horizons Publications recently received were displayed and books were donated to the American Corner. This was also the opportunity for the renewing of the Memorandum of Understanding between PAS and University officials. In the morning of November 18, 2008, the PAS team showed the film on sexual harassment entitled "On Behalf of All Women", a film produced by Women Legal Rights and sponsored by USAID, to raise women students' awareness about this phenomenon against which a law was voted in Benin in 2007. Elvire Hounou Huenassou, former Coordinator of WLR served as moderator and answered questions posed by the audience of 50 persons comprising students and administrative staff. Then after showing the film "If You Want to Study in the U.S.," the Cultural Affairs Assistant gave a thorough and comprehensive overview of academic and professional exchange opportunities, followed by the experience sharing of the Fulbright Alumnus, Etienne Ewikotan, who came back home last June after spending two years studying Education Planning at the University of Loyola in Chicago. His communication mostly centered on the education system in the U.S, a system that fosters responsibility, life long learning and leadership. In the afternoon of November 18, the PAO and her colleagues traveled to Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin. At the Ecole Normale Superieure (Teachers' Training College),80 students and faculty members attended the program, which consisted in showing the film "If you want to study in the U.S." and presenting the exchange programs. The Director of the Teachers' Training College, a Fulbright alumnus was given the opportunity to share his U.S. experience with the audience. On November 19, 2008, the PAS team, comprising the Cultural Affairs Assistant and the Information Resource Center Director, accompanied by the Fulbright Alumnus Innocent Datondji, Director of Porto-Novo Teachers' Training College, traveled to the University of Parakou, located in the Northern part of Benin, which has an enrollment of COTONOU 00000754 002 OF 003 about 6,000 students. The IRC Director chaired a book donation ceremony to the American Corner in the presence of the Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs. The Cultural Affairs Assistant presented the exchange programs and Innocent Datondji gave a communication on "Bridge-Building between Benin and the U.S." To start his presentation, Professor Datondji provided a definition of the concept which he calls bridge-building, which consists in making it possible for Beninese and Americans to have the opportunity to come together and meet for a better understanding of their respective cultures and civilisations. He developed this concept by stressing its importance due to the globalisation process according to which no people can, nowadays, remain enclosed within itself. He ended his presentation by illustrating it with his own experience in America. His four visits to that country (in 1981, 1984, 1995, and 2006-2007, thanks to the Fulbright Program) have in fact convinced him of the necessity for teachers in Benin, among other things, to: 1) Improve their students' knowledge of American culture and civilization so as to reduce bias and prejudice, thus encouraging cross cultural relationships. To do this he put at their disposal the materials that he has brought home with him, and he organized periodic talk-sessions with them. 2) Tell them something about homesickness and invite them to be prepared for it, should they travel (someday to America or elsewhere),even though he realizes that experiences and lessons differ from person to person. The one final lesson that he has derived from his 2006-2007 stay is that, despite everything, despite the stress and all the drawbacks, despite all the privations and mistakes, it is worth going away, if only to test and evaluate oneself again, to be more serious about education, to make deeper self-exploration, to get to understand better other peoples and their cultures (even if sometimes one does not adopt them),so that, on their return, they could better help their own people and mostly their students to be more themselves, as individuals and community members. To end the session in Parakou, the audience watched Obama's biography and asked questions about the electoral system and the lessons to be drawn from President Obama's election. On November 20, 2008 the PAS team and Innocent Datondji headed for Natitingou. At the Teachers' Training College, (this college has only been created for scientific studies,) books were donated and communications were given on the exchange programs by the CAA and on the importance of the English language by Innocent Datondji. He explored the most important factors which can affect the teaching/learning of English as follows: 1) The objectives of English learning: Commerce, tourism, teaching, international relations, diplomacy, technology, sciences, transports, professional career, leisure. 2)The conditions and variables: The country where it is taught, the area (urban or rural),the racial composition, the economic situation, the educational system, the cultural values, the place of English in the country, the medium of instruction, the contents of the teaching. 3) The human variables: -The learners: Their level of instruction, their age, their aptitude, their attitude, their gender, their health, their family background, their exposure to English, their degree of motivation, their expectations regarding English. -The teachers: their level of education, their qualification as English teachers, their experiences, their level in English, their comprehension of the nature of English, their interest for English, their teaching methods. -The environment: Geographical situation, availability of classes, availability of teaching materials, availability of language laboratory, the expectations of the parents. It was a good opportunity to encourage students in science to keep learning English, since they tend to give it up generally. The team also visited the Military School for young girls, a school that was started in the year 2000 to promote excellence based on the model of a military school for boys called "Prytanee Militaire of Bembereke". Currently, there are 278 girls attending the school. Selection for enrollment is based on a yearly competition and the three best students from the 12 Departments are invited to enroll. The students range in age from 9 to 18 and follow the same curriculum as the one used nationally. We donated books to the school and showed the film on sexual harassment "On Behalf of All Women" and this was much appreciated by the whole school and by the staff. All the girls attended the session. Judging by the number and intensity of questions and audience contributions, the programs were well received and successful. We distributed flyers to market our exchange programs and encouraged potential candidates to apply for the Fulbright Program. Requests were made in Parakou and Natitingou for additional programs COTONOU 00000754 003 OF 003 and resources, especially for the faculty in developing English curriculum and training for its staff. To wrap up the IEW activities, the film titled "Akeelah and the Bee" was shown at the American Cultural Center on November 21, 2008. The film provided an opportunity to point out that education is a key factor to success. The film was an efficient tool in emphasizing that when a girl has the determination to succeed in life, she could be equally as or more successful than a boy. At the end of the film, students' representatives made lengthy comments about how to succeed in life, which was a sign that the message was well received. Many University students seized the opportunity of this film program to express their interest in getting more involved in PD programs. ¶6. NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN KIND SUPPORT: Most of the academic institutions we visited did their best to encourage students to attend the sessions, even though they haven't resumed yet at the University of Abomey Calavi, at the Teachers' Training Colleges in Porto-Novo and Natitingou. Regarding the film show at the ACC, the willingness of three institutions of learning to send students to attend this program was instrumental to the overwhelming success of this activity. The participation of the Fulbright alumni Etienne Ewikotan and Innocent Datondji and Elvire Hounou Huenassou brought vivid first-hand accounts to the events. ¶7. QUALITY OF USG SUPPORT: Excellent. Kudos to Doctor Alfred Frederick, Professor of Education at State University of New York, for accepting to serve as Moderator in the program of "Akeelah and the Bee". During the lively discussion which took place at the end of the film, Dr. Frederick's pedagogical approach was highly appreciated. BROWN