Members of the German Parliament present badges to partner schools in Pretoria

The German government's "Partner School Initiative“ affords special status to a number of schools abroad affording their pupils the opportunity to learn German as an additional language. Two Pretoria high schools were recently awarded the status of "PASCH“ schools, thereby joining the twelve existing partner institutions in the country. An expression of this special status is traditionally a particular badge, indicating that the school in question is part of this unique network.

German MPs Ulla Schmidt and Dagmar Freitag handing over the PASCH-badge to Mr. Griffiths, director of the Prosperitus Secondary School Enlarge image German MPs Ulla Schmidt and Dagmar Freitag handing over the PASCH-badge to Mr. Griffiths, director of the Prosperitus Secondary School (© German Embassy Pretoria) The recent visit of two members of the German parliament, Ms.Ulla Schmidt, former Minister of Health and member of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Cultural and Education Policy, as well as Ms. Dagmar Freitag, Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Sports, marked the ideal occasion to present these badges to the principals of the Prosperitus Secondary School in the township of Eersterust and the Pretoria High School for Girls.
While Pretoria Girls' High already offers its students the option of obtaining the "German Language Diploma I“, Prosperitus Secondary is hoping to implement this option in the medium term. By offering German courses from as early as grade 8, the groundwork for this is currently being laid.
Ms.Schmidt and Ms.Freitag, the latter visiting South African for the first time, were eager to get a close look at the German language offerings at the two schools and to speak to the pupils directly.

Students from Prosperitus Secondary welcomed the delegation in German and impressed Ms. Schmidt with a wide variety of different languages (all eleven official languages are spoken at the school). A stunning performance of the school choir with a traditonal African song concluded the visit to the township.

The girls from Pretoria Girls High quizzed the two delegates with questions on the possibilities to study in Germany and entertained them with a dance performance. At the end of the visit, one girl asked Ms. Freitag why she should learn about German culture and study the language. Ms.Freitag had a very simple answer for her: "Because we want you to be our friends!“

Badges presented to PASCH schools

"Schools: Partners for the Future" initiative

PASCH - Partner School Initiative

Education creates prospects – multilingualism opens new horizons. At our partner schools abroad we not only desire to provide students with access to our language and education system, we also want to generate interest in and understanding for one another. More details on the "Schools: Partners for the Future" initiative are available here:

Flyer: "Schools: Partners for the Future" [pdf, 382,73k]