GERMAN PAVILION OFFICIALLY OPENED AT ACHIMOTA HIGH SCHOOL.

BY:MICHAEL AMEDOR.

In the presence of the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Accra, Mr. Hans Christian Winkler, the Head Mistress of Achimota High School, Mrs. Beatrice Adom and the Director of the German Cultural Institute the Goethe-Institut,
Ms. Eleonore Sylla, the German Pavilion at Achimota High School has been officially opened in Accra.
The Achimota High School, Accra was selected by the German Government as the first school in Ghana to be included in the German Government’s „Partner School Programme" which includes 1000 schools worldwide to foster the presence of the German Language worldwide and improve possibilities of pupils to get access to the German Language. German is the language most widely spoken in the European Union and gives access to the worlds biggest trading partner.
The German Pavilion is equipped with learning materials, audiovisual media and computers and received a financial contribution by the German Government of over 45.000 € (85.000 GHC at current rate).
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier launched the "Schools: Partners for the Future" Initiative.
Its goal is to build up a worldwide network of at least 1000 partner schools to support young people's interest and enthusiasm for modern-day Germany, German society and German Language. Additional funds to the tune of 45 million euro have been earmarked for the initiative. It is coordinated and implemented by the Federal Foreign Office– amongst others - in cooperation the Goethe-Institut
The network of German schools abroad and schools offering the German Language Certificate will be strengthened and extended. In addition, cooperation between schools will be expanded to anchor German as a foreign language more firmly in national education systems. We want to develop fruitful and long-lasting ties with Germany and inspire schools, their teachers and pupils to enjoy an open exchange of views and engage in cooperation. For this reason the initiative plans to support many schools with a broad range of services.
By providing additional courses the initiative will help both pupils and teachers to acquire training with a long-term impact. The initiative will thus extend young people's skills, preparing them for study in Germany and a subsequent career. The number of full grants for study in Germany is to be doubled for graduates of German schools abroad and partner schools. The international award programme will allow even more pupils from abroad to experience Germany first hand for several weeks.

SOURCE:GERMAN EMBASSY