Winners of the National German as a Foreign Language Competition Depart for Germany

From the Namibian winter into the German summer…In order to get to know the German language and culture, as well as its great culinary variety, the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD), has invited four Namibian students to spend four weeks in Germany. This should give them the opportunity to get to know the country and its people.

On 8 August 2016, Ullrich Kinne, Cultural Counsellor of the German Embassy and Corinna Burth of the Goethe-Institut Namibia held a small send-off event at the Embassy for the four winners of this year’s grade 10 and 11 categories: Vilho Nanyoka (Khomas High School), Lindsay van der Merwe and Rodriquess Mauha (both Namib High School Swakopmund) and Kabuba Masule (St. Pauls College).

The German Language Competition celebrated its 29th anniversary in 2016 and is held annually by the Goethe-Institut (previously Goethe-Centre/NaDS). It is not just a measure of the participants skills in German as a Foreign Language, but even more so a colourful festival of language for the students, parents and teachers. 100 children and youths from 26 schools participated in the latest German Language Competition, an increase of five schools from 2015.

The winners of this year departed for Germany straight after leaving the embassy. For all of them it is the first major trip abroad, so excitement ran high among the youths and parents. In Germany they will live with guest families, take part in language courses and intern at German schools. Their trip takes them to Berlin, Bonn, Munich and Wolfenbüttel or Langenfeld unterm Stein. The students will be cared for by contact persons from the PAD.