Poor college teens receive English skills

HYDERABAD: It was a proud moment for the 32 teenagers who received their graduation certificates for qualifying the English Access Microscholarship Programme at FAPCCI Bhavan on Wednesday. The scholarships, sponsored by the US department of state’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, were awarded by the US Charge de’ Affaires ambassador Peter Burleigh.“English as a language would open up the world for you if you use what you have learned during the programme to enhance your career opportunities,” said the ambassador in his address. Apart from the 32 students who graduated, the rest of the 100 aspirants were given participation certificates.These students from CAP vocational junior college in the city come from economically poor backgrounds where knowledge of English can take them far. A student who summed up her learning experience said, “Coming from a Telugu-medium background, the programme has instilled confidence in me.” Being able to understand and interact in the language help these students find better on-the-job training options. Many of them had also improved their typing skills which gave them the professional edge.The programme, spread over 20 months, is held outside regular class hours for students from over 85 countries. Many students balance classes and work after college to support their families.Two more batches of 100 participants each are undergoing training at the vocational college. The students are selected through an entrance examination.