Ambassador and Minister of Education Open the Seventh English Access Program in Montenegro
U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro Judy Rising Reinke, together with Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Andjela Jaksic Stojanovic, and the English Language Teachers’ Association of Montenegro (ELTAM) president Dragana Radoman, launched the State Department’s English Access Program in Podgorica on December 13, 2023. Twenty students, ages 14-16, from high schools in four municipalities, Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Tuzi, and Zeta, were selected for the program. The event gathered their local communities, civil society, and schools’ representatives, as well as the students’ family members.
At the launch, Ambassador Reinke highlighted that Access Program, in addition to being an English language learning program, is an opportunity for the students to grow while learning more about US. culture, history, and values, building networks and honing important 21st century skills such as leadership and critical thinking. Minister of Education Jaksic Stojanovic highlighted the shared values promoted through the program, such as mutual understanding, tolerance, and the protection of human rights.
This is the seventh Access Program the Embassy in Podgorica launched in Montenegro, building on the success of previous programs in Nikšić (2015-2017), Podgorica (2016-2018), Rožaje (2017-2019), Nikšić (2018–2021), Cetinje (2020–2022), and the ongoing program in Pljevlja.