On January 28, five lecturers from Sheik Zayed University in Khost completed an intensive, 45-day International English Language Testing System (IELTS) course provided by USAID’s Afghan eQuality Alliances (AeQA) at Kabul Polytechnic University.  Thanks to the small class size, English instructors were able to work closely with faculty members to design classroom exercises and to prepare for the IELTS exam at the British Council in Kabul.  Like the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, a passing score on the IELTS exam is a prerequisite for many international study abroad programs.

Participating faculty were pleased to have the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills in preparation for the next academic term in March.  One of the professors has already taken the IELTS exam and is awaiting his test results.  The other four participants will take the IELTS exam later next month.  In the meantime, the faculty members look forward to continuing their English studies in Khost and are eager to use their new English skills in the classroom.  “[USAID’s] Afghan eQuality Alliances is the only one providing IT and English language classes for faculty members at our university.  Without Afghan eQuality Alliances, we wouldn’t be able to improve our English skills,” said a Sheikh Zayed University faculty member.

Developing proficiency in foreign languages is one major emphasis of the recently inaugurated Ministry of Higher Education Strategic Plan.  AeQA offers IT and English language courses at Afghan Next Generation eLearning (ANGeL) Centers at Balkh University, Hirat University, Kabul Polytechnic University, Kabul University, and Nangarhar University.