Ninth PASCH school welcomed in Namibia

Mariselle Stofberg





Concordia College was officially welcomed into the worldwide PASCH network last week.

The partner school initiative was launched in February 2008 by Germany’s federal foreign office.

PASCH is implemented in cooperation with the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA), the Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service and the Educational Exchange Service of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany

“It is a worldwide programme for the development and advancement of the German language at selected schools. It also promotes intercultural exchange and the development of an international learning community and schools,” Alexandra Ellen Goelz of the German embassy said.

Goelz added that Concordia was chosen as the ninth PASCH school because of their commitment and excellence in teaching German as a foreign language for many years.

Currently, around 600 000 learners around the world attend the more than 2 000 PASCH schools, which are keen to encourage sustained interest in contemporary German and the German language.

Namibian PASCH schools

In Namibia, there are eight other PASCH schools – the Deutsche Hohere Privatschule, Windhoek High School, Delta Secondary School, Namib High School, Private School Swakopmund, Martin Luther High School, Otjiwarongo Secondary School and Etosha Secondary School.

“Promoting German as a language is a focus of the German government’s cultural relations and education policy. We believe that learning foreign languages fosters dialogue, exchange and cooperation between people and cultures. It opens new horizons and creates understanding between people of different cultures and backgrounds. It also creates new opportunities for studying or work abroad,” Goelz said.

Global community

“We are extremely grateful to the government for selecting our school to be part of the PASCH family. This was the initiative of our German language teacher Alexia Tjikumise, and we would like to thank her for this great initiative. Without a doubt, PASCH will expose our school, and specifically the learners, to a global community of diverse learning and cultures,” Mary Uanguta, the principal of Concordia College, said.

During the event, the school also inaugurated the new PASCH classroom and equipment they received.

“We would like to thank the German government for the donation that has gone into all the renovations and buying of IT equipment as well as furniture for the PASCH class. Fortunately, our school library has benefitted as well,” Uanguta added.

“The pandemic the world is experiencing again emphasised that we as educators across the world need to rethink, reimagine, reinnovate and redesign the provisions of education in a way that best meets the needs of all learners and teachers,” Faustina Caley, the deputy minister of education, arts and culture, said.

Caley emphasised the importance of the collaboration between the German embassy and the Goethe-Institute in Namibia as well as other actors and stakeholders who have national development at heart.

Platform to connect

“Through this network, we provide a platform for young people to connect to a different culture, a different language and a different approach to education and school-related activities. Through the network we can help learners make their dreams and ideas a reality and the endless possibilities of studying and working in Germany,” Corinna Burth, the PASCH coordinator at the Goethe-Institut Namibia, said.

Burth is excited for what the future holds for Concordia College and its leaners, teachers and management team, and believes this network, and the investment in the German language, will open up new horizons and possibilities for all parties involved.