Etosha Secondary School accredited as PASCH-School

TSUMEB, FEB 21 – The Etosha Secondary School in Tsumeb on Wednesday 20 February 2019 officially became part of the Goethe-Institut Namibia’s local PASCH network of schools, making it one of eight schools in Namibia and more than 2 000 around the world that place a high value to the German language.

PASCH (Schools: Partners for the Future) is an initiative of the Federal Foreign Office in cooperation with the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA), the
Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Educational Exchange Service of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of
Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany.
About 215 million Euros are currently made available each year for the promotion of the German language abroad through schools, universities and adult education.
Around 600 000 learners around the world are attending one of the many PASCH Schools.
Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Windhoek, Ellen Gölz noted the importance of foreign languages in international
relations.

“Promoting the German language has for a long time been a major instrument in German cultural relations and education policy. We believe that
learning foreign languages fosters dialogue, exchange and cooperation between people and cultures”, she said. About 53 schools in Namibia offer German as a
Foreign Language subject for more than 8 700 learners, while more than 1 300 are studying German as a mother tongue.

PASCH Schools are identified and credited at their own merit, and Gölz commended the ESS for their efforts.

“The ESS was chosen to be a PASCH partner for its dedication and excellence in teaching German as a Foreign Language for many years,” she said. Gölz also thanked the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and Tsumeb community for their support.

The ESS is now one of 5 schools in Namibia administered under the GoetheInstitut Namibia (Martin Luther High School, Windhoek High School, Otjiwarongo Secondary School and Private School Swakopmund), while three others (Deutsche Höhere Privatschule, Delta Secondary School and Namib High
School) are administered under the ZfA.

In an address delivered on her behalf by the Deputy Executive Director, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Katrina Hanse-Himarwa noted the wide interest in
offering the German language at schools across Namibia. She said learning German strengthens long term ties with Germany, while future decision makers
become familiar with the modern society there and develop a realistic image of Germany.

“This particular selection makes the ESS function and operate to promote inter-cultural interactions and the development of an international learning community for schools,” she said. Hanse-Himarwa noted the importance of the German language in developing partnerships with Germany in business, science and culture, and as a study destination.

Germany every year welcomes students from Namibia and around the world, mainly because of the available programmes and the affordability of tertiary education there. The Goethe-Institut Namibia and PASCH throughout every academic year hold conferences for German language teachers to equip them with the latest and
advanced teaching techniques. Being a PASCH-School, learners and teachers at the ESS are part of a network that supports the development of multicultural
projects and the acceptance of cultural diversity.

Becoming a PASCH-School also includes renovating the German language classrooms, and the supply of teaching materials and equipment designed for effective teaching. In his address, ESS Principal Andries Kaishungu noted the school’s partnership with a university in Germany since 2003 and explained how becoming a PASCH School complements operations.

“It is the aim of the ESS to open as many doors as possible to our learners and therefore opportunities are set for each learner to excel,” he said. Executive Deputy Director for Formal Education Charles Kabajani, who spoke on behalf of the Education Minister, confirmed Kaishungu’s announcement of soon recruiting another permanent German language teacher at the school.

Goethe-Institut Namibia Director Daniel Stoevesandt commended ESS staff for their efforts and commitment in developing the German language. He and Head
of Language Cooperation at the Goethe-Institut Namibia, Corinna Burth took the opportunity to also hand over prizes to four ESS learners who will this academic
year attend international PASCH School camps in Germany and Ghana. Grade 11 learners, Cezaan Arnold and Jonathan Shikongo in May begin preparation for
representing Namibia at a Pan African PASCH Camp in Accra, Ghana slated for July.

They are winners of a competition through which learners were challenged to produce a collage reflecting the topic “What I want to change in the future”.
Arnold was elated at the announcement of their success and delivered words of encouragement for other learners “Believe in what you do and never give up
because you are doing it for yourself,” she said.

They will attend seminars on Journalism, Drama,  Photography, Environment and Circus with more than 100 learners from PASCHSchools across Sub-Saharan Africa. Grade 12 learners, Esther Amuthenu and Heinrich Nel also had their moment of glory when they received the prize of attending a 4-week PASCH Summer Camp in Germany later this year. They were their class’ top performers in the German as a Foreign Language subject.

“I am looking forward to meeting new people and this will be my first time of leaving the continent so I am very excited,” said Nel.
Amuthenu said, “It’s going to be awesome meeting new people and experiencing the environment of Germany” – NDN Staffer