2006年VOA标准英语-US Launches African Textbook Initiative

By Scott Stearns
Accra, Ghana
17 January 2006

The Bush administration has joined six American universities with six African nations to develop new primary school curricula. U.S. first lady Laura Bush announced the plan during a visit to Ghana.

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The partnership¹ matches American universities in the states of Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Alabama with educators in Ghana, Senegal, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa and Ethiopia. 

 

Laura Bush, right, sits with Ghana's President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Accra Teacher Training Center   
  

They will develop individual curricula for children between kindergarten and eighth grade, ultimately producing 15 million primary schoolbooks.

"These textbooks will be created in Africa, so they will represent the unique experiences of African students," the first lady explained. "The text will be written with African cultures at the center, and the illustrations will depict² African scenes."

Mrs. Bush says the subjects will include reading, mathematics, science, and language arts, with additional funding to produce flash cards, charts, and teaching guides to give instructors³ more options for individual students.

Its part of the Bush administration's Africa Education Initiative, a $600 million plan to provide books, scholarships, school uniforms, and teacher training.

Speaking at the Accra Teacher Training College, Mrs. Bush said the initiative includes funds to train 920,000 teachers in 20 Sub-Saharan countries.

It is also focused on getting more African girls in school with 550,000 primary and secondary school scholarships for tuition, fees, books, and uniforms.

"The American people support these scholarships because we believe that investing in a child's education will produce benefits many times over in the future," she said. "An educated woman is better able to provide for her family economically, and to be an advocate for her own children's education. She has the knowledge and the skills to find new ways to improve life in her community. She is prepared to be an active participant in society, and perhaps even a national leader."

Laura Bush attended Monday's inauguration⁴ of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first female head of state. The first lady said the new Liberian president is an example for young women around the world as she rose to the top of her government through hard work, faith in democracy and belief in the power of education.

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 depict   

vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述

参考例句：

• I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
• Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。

3 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

4 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。