White House Fact Sheet:
Andean Center of Excellence for Teacher Training

The White House issued a fact sheet on March 23, concerning President Bush's commitment to establish the Andean Center of Excellence for Teacher Training.

Scheduled to open at the end of 2002, the center will be formed by a partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development and "a network of institutions housed in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia" to "develop techniques to make teachers more effective in their classrooms, particularly in the teaching of reading at primary-education levels," the White House said.

Following is the text of the fact sheet:

"We're committed to making education a centerpiece of our economic agenda, because learning and literacy are the foundations for development and democracy. The United States will sponsor the creation of hemispheric centers for teacher excellence. These centers will provide teacher training for improving literacy and basic education, both in person and over the Internet."
-- President George W. Bush, Summit of the Americas, April 21, 2001

At the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in April 2001, President Bush pledged to create regional Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training.

The president announced on January 16, 2002, the creation of a Caribbean Center in Jamaica. Today, the president is pleased to announce the creation of an Andean Center, comprised of a network of institutions housed in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will partner with institutions in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia to form the Andean Center. This network will build on the existing strengths of these institutions to develop techniques to make teachers more effective in their classrooms, particularly in the teaching of reading at primary-education levels. The Center will be guided by an Andean Board of Directors comprised of educators and private-sector representatives.

The Andean Center will provide innovative training opportunities for teachers that range from classroom instruction to distance learning. The Andean Center of Excellence for Teacher Training will be operating by the end of 2002.