Deadline: March 05, 2021

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh is pleased to announce the 2021 English Access Microscholarship Program and to invite proposals from not-for-profit organizations, public/private educational institutions and schools. Applications should be submitted no later than 11:59 P.M., March 05, 2021.

The English Access Microscholarship Program is a global high-profile scholarship program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. This program provides a foundation of English language skills to non-elite, 13-20 years old students through after school classes plus other, more intensive sessions and enhancement activities. The program also gives participants the opportunity to gain an appreciation for U.S. culture and values and is intended to increase their English Language Skills which will enable them to better job and educational opportunities.

A successful proposal will meet the following requirements:

1. Program type:

An exclusive English language program for approximately 60 Access scholarship recipients. Each educational institution can provide English lessons for three groups of maximum 20 students.

2. Program length:

• The Access program will last for two years with minimum 180 hours of instruction required per year, including after school instruction hours, intensive session hours and enhancement activities, for a minimum total of 360 hours for the two-year program.
• Access classes must start no later than October 31, 2021 but are encouraged to start earlier if possible.

3. Program content:

The Access program’s content must include:

• Regular after-school English language classes. After-school classes should integrate into the English language curriculum a strong emphasis on U.S. culture and values through instruction, materials selection, and a specific cultural enhancement component. Lessons should focus on the four language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Focus the classroom time on communicative teaching methods. Access classes should include time for accuracy (grammar) as well as fluency (freely speaking).
• English language intensive sessions. These intensive sessions are often one or two-week long summer programs but may also occur over consecutive weekends or between semesters. They should include more instruction hours per week than the afterschool and/or weekend programming the students receive throughout the two years. These sessions are included in the 180 hours of instruction required per year. Intensive sessions should combine English language instruction with U.S. cultural activities such as drama, computers, art, music, or games and sports, or even civic responsibility projects, leadership and teamwork training, or tolerance programs.
• The cultural enhancement activities. The enhancement activities aim to increase the students’ familiarity with U.S. culture and values while they improve their English language skills. Enhancement activities should be designed to provide hands-on and interactive opportunities for students to engage in discussions, games, personal development and community service. As much as possible, enhancement activities should incorporate U.S. Embassy/Consulate exchange alumni, U.S. exchange program participants, U.S. Embassy/Consulate personnel, and other native and non-native English-speaking partners.
• Computer instruction. Access Program, whenever possible, should include computer instruction to complement English language instruction and enhancement activities. Online hours cannot replace 360 face-to-face hours.
• 100 % of English language instruction will be done by qualified English teachers.

4. Target participants and selection process:

• Selected participants must be high performing, 13-to-20-year-old Cambodian students. The provider is encouraged to develop creative ideas to target at a specific group of students that have good academic records and economically, socially or ethnically disadvantaged.
• The English language center is encouraged to develop a selection process for the program in which the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section plays a key role and makes the final decision of selecting program participants.

5. Program timeline:

Phase 1: Submitting proposals		Duration
Step 1	Completing proposals The providers use the Access Proposal Templates to complete proposal narrative and budget planning The proposals must be submitted via email before March 05, 2021	Four weeks
Step 2	Getting approval from U.S. Embassy and U.S. Department of State	One to two weeks
Step 3	Issuing agreement for the providers	One to two weeks
Phase 2: Implementing Access program The implementation of the program involves substantial oversight of the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh.
Step 1	Recruiting Access Students including advertising program, receiving application, interviewing applicants and notifying results Recruiting teacher and planning programs	Approximately one month
Step 2	Conducting the program While conducting the Access program, providers are required to submit program and financial reports quarterly. Representatives from the U.S. Embassy will do site visit at least once a year.	Two years
Phase 3: Close-out the program Providers need to submit the final program and financial reports no later than 30 days after the end of the agreement.		One month

 

6. Location:

• The program will be implemented at a location which is accessible on a regular basis to the selected participants with minimized support from the program budget.
• The location can be in a city/province where the provider has a branch with well-equipped facilities and qualified English teachers.

7. Budget:

• Program budget cannot exceed $1,500 per student for two years and can be less.
• The cost of the program should be itemized in the budget into the following categories:

1. Salaries and Wages
2. Benefits
3. Books and Instructional Materials
4. Travel
5. Administration
6. Food and Beverages
7. Other costs

8. Application:

Interested applicants are invited to submit their proposals to the following address via email no later than 11:59 P.M., March 05, 2021. The successful proposals will be selected for nomination of funding on a competitive basis by a selection panel at the Embassy.

Address:          U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh
                        #1, Street 96 Sangkat Wat Phnom Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
Public Affairs Section
Phone: +855 23 728-000 ext. 8048
Email: PASExchanges@state.gov

Application Form:

• Access Technical Proposal Template (XLSX: 365 KB)
• Access Cost Proposal Template (XLSX: 480 KB)

Reference:

• Sample Access Technical Proposal Template (XLSX: 478 KB)
• Sample Access Cost Proposal Template (XLSX: 370 KB)
• Access Provider Handbook (PDF: 2 MB)
• Instruction of Application for Access Providers (PDF: 257 KB)

By U.S. Mission Cambodia | 14 August, 2019 | Topics: Education, Events, News