The Malta Writing Programme of the Foundation for Educational Services (FES) has been accepted as an International Affiliate of the National Writing Project, an American teacher training institution with over 30 years of experience in the field of teaching writing. The Malta Writing Programme is the first in Europe to achieve this status, and joint first in the world with Hong Kong.

The International Affiliate Status was conferred by US ambassador to Malta Molly Bordonaro, in a ceremony held at her official residence in Attard, where she presented a plaque and certificate to Education Minister Louis Galea, on behalf of the FES.

Ms Bordonaro said she was proud of the US embassy’s support for the collaborative efforts of the National Writing Programme and the Malta Writing Programme. She mentioned several projects on which the US Embassy and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment have worked together with great success.

The ambassador said that reaching out to young people was one of the top priorities of the United States and she was looking forward to working with the Ministry on a number of other programmes.

Dr Galea expressed pleasure that the Malta Writing Programme had reached this prestigious affiliation status. He explained the significance of this recognition, which meant that teachers in Malta would now be able to attain and retain the highest international standards of literacy teaching and learning through writing, by keeping in close contact with their American colleagues.