On Thursday (10) the British government launched two partnerships with the City of Salvador in the areas of education: the Skills for Prosperity program led by the UK Embassy, and a cooperation agreement between the city’s Department of Education and the Ministry of Education. The British Council, which seeks to implement measures for the continuing professional development of teachers, teacher educators and other education professionals.
Skills for Prosperity promotes access to education and skills development opportunities for young people and disadvantaged groups for the world of work. These are initiatives to democratize English language learning that have already benefited more than 2.2 million students and more than 20,000 teachers, with access to various teaching materials and an English language training platform. In Salvador, the program is expected to benefit more than 100,000 primary school students and more than 9,000 public school teachers.
Encouraging the development of education is a UK priority. We know that learning English is essential for young people to have a successful career. Therefore, we want to contribute so that those with less resources can have this opportunity and so that the teachers are ready for this task. Melanie Hawkins, the UK’s acting ambassador, says such partnerships symbolize one of the main tasks of diplomacy: uniting countries to promote social justice and equal opportunity.
The agreement led by the British Council marks the beginning of a joint effort with Salvador City Hall to enhance the skills of English language teachers, improving their fluency and their own language teaching skills. Educators from other regions will be able to benefit from the initiative, as it also includes continuing education for science and technology teachers. The partnership provides for the implementation of bilingual schools in all the administrative regions of the city.
“We are honored to work with Salvador City Hall and collaborate with their transformative vision for education. Supporting the professional development of English language teachers is a priority for us in the Americas, and we are pleased to work with other cities, states, and even the federal government on initiatives like this, “..
About Prosperity Skills
Skills to Prosperity is a UK Government funded programme, benefiting nine countries: Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
In Brazil, the program focuses on democratizing access to quality English language education, bearing in mind that language proficiency is a critical skill for economic development and for the country’s greater integration into the global economy. The program is implemented by a consortium of Brazilian institutions and NGOs, led by the Lehman Foundation. Associação Nova Escola, Instituto Reúna and the British Council are also part of the consortium, fulfilling various qualities for the success of the initiative.
Photo: Adriana Planzo / Rádio Sociedade da Bahia
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