RAMALLAH, November 20, 2009 (WAFA)- In commemoration of International Education Week (IEW), representatives from the Public Affairs Office at the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem and the international non-governmental organization, Amideast Ramallah, conducted outreach visits to a number of Palestinian high schools in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The purpose of the visits was to highlight the benefits of international education and exchanges and discuss country-specific scholarship and exchange programs offered to Palestinians through initiatives sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Speaking to a large group of students in Ramallah, U.S. Consulate General Exchanges Officer Alistair Baskey reiterated the support of U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for increasing the number of exchange students in the United States. Mr. Baskey noted that the number of Palestinian students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education increased significantly from 261 in 2007/08 to 362 in 2008/09, a 39% increase. Mr. Baskey emphasized that the goal of the U.S. Consulate General and Amideast is to see this number increase even further in the coming years.
During the outreach visits, students learned about the various programs and services offered by the U.S. Consulate General and AMIDEAST, including the Education USA Information Center, scholarship opportunities at all degree levels, standardized testing and English language training.
