The German as a Foreign Language Competition (Nationaler Sprachwettbewerb 2018) reaches its final stages this Saturday at the Goethe-Institut Namibia from 08:00-16:00 when the winners will be announced at last.
The initiative, founded by the Namibian German Foundation (NaDS) in 1987, every year sends Namibian learners to Germany on an educational and cultural exchange programme. More than 70 learners from Grades 7 to 11 were throughout the course of last and this year identified and selected from schools across Namibia to compete for one of the grand prizes. The Sprachwettbewerb every year sends five to six learners on a four-week and all-expenses paid trip to three cities in Germany, for them to live with a family and experience the country and its culture first-hand.
All of this is possible through cooperation with the Pedagogical Exchange Service (PAD) through the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Namibia and German-Namibian Association (DNG), sponsors of the main prizes. Additional sponsors this year include the AGDS (Arbeits- und Fördergemeinschaft Deutscher Schulen in Namibia) and Namibia Breweries.
This year features a new range of activities for learners to calm their nerves and prepare for the final examinations on the day of the competition. On show is how the German language can be learnt through fun activities such as dancing, singing, handicrafts making, storytelling and a photo booth that includes the German Buzz vintage VW Kombi from 1970.