All winners, no losers at the 8th German Language festival

It was all entertainment and colour on Sunday as Mengo Senior School in Kampala hosted this year's edition of the German Language festival of Ugandan schools.

Organized in conjunction with the Germany Embassy and the German Cultural Centre, the festival attracted 13 schools mainly from Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi and Masaka united by the theme "Learn German put your culture across."

To impress the judges, the students were tasked to present poems and songs in German for an audience of peers and representatives of the Association of Teachers of German in Uganda.

Early grab for Mengo           

In the morning session, Trinity College Nabingo had all the attention with their poem "the best mother" which was a description of the African mother and her resilience.

The Nabingo masterpiece was followed by other catchy themes like "Nakito the little girl from Masaka" by Gombe SS and "Munyankole Woman" by the hosts, Mengo SS.

By midday, the day's jury was ready with the results of the poetry session which saw Mengo sweep top position and the trophy that was handed them by Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde, the State Minister for Primary Education who was the festival's Guest of Honor.

In her speech, Seninde hinted on the need for school administrators to grant their students a chance to add at least one international language as a powerful tool for career building.

"Learning one extra language helps students to fit in different parts of the world with what they study," she said.

John Fred Kazibwe, the head teacher of Mengo who was in the company of his jubilant students at the hand over joined Seninde in motivating the youngsters, noting that there are many opportunities for both travel and studies that many people cannot access without diversity of language.

"We teach German to equip our students with extra language skills. Through that, we have managed to get scholarships for our students who we teach German for instance," Kazibwe said.

Going forward

Petra Kochendorfer the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Uganda pledged commitment of the embassy to promoting the teaching of German at all levels of school.

The visit of the Deputy Ambassador and State Minister was marked by tree planting in the compound of the school right before lunch-break and by the final close of curtains at about 5pm, the outstanding schools had been announced.

Kapeke Seed SSS from Kiboga district topped the senior one category, Kings College Budo led the Senior Two category, St Mary‘s College Kisubi Senior Three and Mengo Senior Four, Five and Six.

The rap category, which involved creative presentations of rap in German and other languages, was also taken by Mengo SS.

Throughout the festival, the language served as a uniting factor with most of the poems referring to all tribes in Uganda as one and the hopeful learners were given the chance to pick a free book in German given out by the German cultural Centre.

What they say about German

"I was taught German in Mengo SS for six years. I have used the language to work with German people and I am looking forward" Joyce Nabasirye 19.

"I studied Germany in both Gombe SS and Mengo and my sisters who are now in Germany inspired me to continue learning even more. My dream now is to study in Germany."  Leilah namyalo 21

"We are encouraging the young people to practice more so they can also qualify for our Bachelors' degree programme at Makerere University where they can also get three to four weeks of study in Germany or the Masters' programme at the University of Nairobi in Kenya," Steven Heimlich Representative of the German Academic Exchange Service in Uganda, Lecturer Makerere University