The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative: Promoting Knowledge

The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) seeks to bridge the "knowledge gap" by improving the quality and relevance of education and improving educational opportunities for girls. Through implementation of the programs highlighted -- including those that focus on improving digital readiness and increasing literacy, especially among women and girls -- the Middle East Initiative will support regional efforts to improve schools and training programs that prepare young people to compete in today's global marketplace.

The Initiative includes $7.4 million in funding in education pilot projects initiated with FY 2002 emergency supplemental funding and $31.5 million in FY 2003 emergency supplemental funding. The President's FY 2004 budget request includes $145 million for the Middle East Initiative; of this, we anticipate $43.5 million will support educational programs.

Literacy

The Initiative seeks to support government and non-governmental organization (NGO) efforts to improve literacy rates, especially among girls and women. Across the region, 38% of the total population is illiterate, and more than half of adult women lack basic reading and writing skills.

Literacy projects will include:

• A small grants program for schools and non-governmental organizations to train teachers in reading methods; develop curricula incorporating family-centered activities and life skills training; teach reading in the early grades; and assist in bilingual instruction.
• Books programs developed in partnership with the U.S. private sector and Ministries of Education in the region. These programs will provide children's books, translated into Arabic, for primary schools.
• Pilot projects, such as one already underway in Yemen, where literacy classes are incorporated into community-relevant skills training. Women and girls in Yemen will receive literacy training in the context of areas such as maternal and child health, women's political participation, agricultural production, and women's savings and loan clubs.

Experience around the world has shown that when girls' education levels improve, other important development indicators also improve -- babies are healthier, rates of infant mortality decline, and we see improvements in quality of life across the board. To improve educational attainment, particularly for girls in rural areas, the Initiative will:

• Replicate successful models of girls' scholarship programs in Morocco and Egypt to other parts of the Middle East where enrollment disparities by gender are acute.
• Support efforts like one launched this year by Mrs. Mubarak in Egypt to support education for girls.
• Provide technical and financial assistance to indigenous non-governmental organizations dedicated to enhancing rural girls' education, and managing scholarships, housing, mentoring, and other incentives programs to encourage middle and high school girls to stay in school.

To bridge the "knowledge gap," we must also bridge the digital divide. Working with Arab governments, private sector, and civil society partners, the Administration plans to:

• Launch a Digital Readiness Initiative for the Middle East and North Africa;
• Increase funding and private sector incentives to provide schools with computers, Internet connectivity, and training to reduce teacher isolation and spur classroom innovation; and
• Establish a regional intranet and Internet portal that will provide teacher training, curricular material, networking, and tools to help incorporate web-based, multimedia, and long-distance instruction in their classrooms.

Expanding economic opportunities for the region's youth is a key element of the Initiative.

• To increase English proficiency, the Administration will create a scholarship program for English language study, reaching students who have aptitude but lack financial resources to attend intensive classes, and who require English language skills to transition successfully from school to work.
• The Initiative will build on successful programs in Egypt and elsewhere in the region that forge business-school partnerships to help students gain workplace skills and ensure students have employment opportunities immediately after graduation. The Initiative will also work with American and regional private sectors to establish training programs in skills for which there is clear market demand.