KUWAIT: The
closing ceremony of the Professional Certificate in English Language Teaching
(PCELT) program was held on Thursday at AMIDEAST's headquarters in Sharq. US Ambassador
to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman congratulated the new batch of graduates.
"The US Embassy is proud to fund PCELT for the third straight year in an
effort to enhance the teaching of English in Kuwait," he said.

The envoy
extended his gratitude to Suzan Al-Bashiti and to "all our friends at the
ministry of education" for their generous support of the PCELT program.
"I know that taking teachers away from their schools for a month is not
easy.  But I think you would agree that
the benefits far outweigh the temporary dislocations. We appreciate your
recognition of the value of this training, and we value the partnership that we
have built with you to help enhance the skills of Kuwaiti teachers," he
said.

Silverman said
everyone must continue learning throughout their lives. "I hope you all
feel that this training was well worth the time and energy you invested in it
and that you will not only impart this knowledge to your students, but share it
with your fellow teachers - to multiply the effect of this course," he
added. He said he himself witnessed the transformation when he met the last set
of teachers taking the course. "I saw the transformative effect of the
training, the new confidence the teachers exuded and the eagerness they showed to
apply the techniques they had learned and share them with their
colleagues," he said.

Silverman said
that with their help, Kuwait seeks to prepare its young people to be
competitive and productive members of the national workforce. He added that
strong English skills will ensure that Kuwaitis can access information,
communicate and take part in the global competition that will drive innovation
and economic growth. "Education is a key dimension of the US-Kuwait
relationship at the ministerial level. When Secretary of State Pompeo visits
Kuwait soon for the third US-Kuwait Strategic Dialogue, we will discuss how we
can improve our cooperation in education and academic exchanges."

Silverman took
pride in his nation's global standing, which remains the top study abroad
destination for Kuwaiti students. "We believe that no other country can
offer Kuwaitis the variety and high quality of universities that are found in
the US, and that a US education is the best preparation to succeed here in
Kuwait. We at the US Embassy stand ready to help build these educational
bridges in any way we can," the ambassador concluded.

By Ben Garcia