110 HR 5836 IH: Students in Business Development in Africa Assistance Act U.S. House of Representatives 2008-04-17 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5836 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 17, 2008 Mr. Carnahan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to provide assistance to establish partnerships between businesses and postsecondary educational institutions in developing countries in Africa to increase economic freedom and competitiveness, promote civil society, and improve the quality of life in such countries.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Students in Business Development in Africa Assistance Act of 2007.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)There is a growing need in developing countries in Africa to educate and properly train future business leaders in such a way to help them adapt to the demanding complexities of leadership. (2)This growing need has led to the call for Africa to develop and train the next generation of leaders that will bring Africa forward into a peaceful and prosperous new century and ensure that democracy lasts across the continent. (3)One of the ways to help train the next generation of leaders is through entrepreneurial education, entrepreneurship may be one of the most important channels through which education raises economic productivity. (4)All youth should be provided with the access to any and all opportunities to develop skills, attitudes, and abilities that are needed in later life that can lead to entrepreneurship and leadership. (5)One of the goals of educators should be to train students to become self-employed after graduation and produce the goods and services that are needed locally, thereby initiating significant internal economic activity. (6)It is important that the youth be assisted to achieve higher levels of access and entry into the economy as potentially self-employed people since there are simply not enough employment opportunities within the private and public sectors for them all. (7)Business and management education is especially critical in Africa where, in the face of huge shortages in both the private and public sectors, only 50 business schools exist to serve nearly 800 million people, compared with 1,000 business schools in India and 1,200 in the United States. (8)While many institutions in Africa do offer a business certificate/degree, the training can lack certain practical elements, which makes it difficult for graduates to readily apply their skills in the real world. (9)Studies have shown that globalization poses great challenges for education, training, and enterprise development, but there are potential opportunities for positive responses in policy and practice, one of which is the enhancement of individual, societal, and enterprise learning. (10)Educational institutions are not rapidly responding to this urgent challenge.

3.

Assistance to establish partnerships between businesses and postsecondary educational institutions in developing countries in Africa

Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 105 the following new section:

105A.

Assistance to establish partnerships between businesses and postsecondary educational institutions in developing countries in Africa

(a)

Assistance authorized

(1)

In general

The President, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, is authorized to provide assistance, on such terms and conditions as the President may determine, to establish partnerships between businesses and postsecondary educational institutions in developing countries in Africa to further the education and entrepreneurship skills of students at such institutions in order to increase economic freedom and competitiveness, promote civil society, and improve the quality of life in such countries. (2)

Role of nongovernmental organizations

It is the sense of Congress that the President should provide an appropriate level of assistance under paragraph (1) through nongovernmental organizations, including non-profit organizations, that have a minimum of 30 years experience working to further the entrepreneurship skills of students at postsecondary educational institutions. (b)

Activities supported

Assistance provided under subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be used to— (1)enable students at postsecondary educational institutions in developing countries in Africa to practice in the field what they are learning in the classroom and thereby acquire relevant business and management experience; (2)provide opportunities for individuals in developing countries in Africa who are unable to receive a formal education to benefit from the transfer of knowledge and skills by students described in paragraph (1); and (3)carry out other appropriate activities, including— (A)training students described in paragraph (1) and faculty to build sustainable programs; (B)institutionalizing and promoting sustainability of program leadership; (C)supporting the launch and development of new in-country operations; (D)investing in other United States assistance programs for long-term sustainability and support of African programs; and (E)demonstrating results and sharing best practices. (c)

Report

The President shall transmit to Congress a report on the implementation of this section for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. The report shall include an assessment of the impact of the assistance provided under subsection (a) and an analysis of the extent to which such assistance could be provided in other regions of the world. (d)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the President up to $800,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

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