Fourteen educators from Germany and Namibia are taking part in the new German-Namibian exchange for educators.
The two-year exchange project started on April 19 with a kick-off workshop in Trier, Germany and in Gobabis, Namibia. The aim of the expert exchange is to qualify the participating educators as multipliers for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and to provide an insight into the other education system. They will exchange pedagogical methods, build a bilateral network and learn from and with each other. The experts from both countries will complete two three-week study trips, several workshops and webinars and will be trained in the field of education for sustainable development at the Namibian Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) and by the German University of Trier. Together, the educators also carry out German-Namibian ESD projects with pupils in both countries and thus contribute directly to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“I am excited to start working together and to learn more about Educator for Sustainable Development.”
Lisa Noonga, teacher at the Nossob Combined School in Witvlei, Namibia and team manager of the Namibian exchange group summarizes her impressions of the first joint workshop: “It was a great opportunity to finally meet everybody and get to know each other. I am excited to start working together and to learn more about Educator for Sustainable Development. I am looking forward to welcoming my colleagues from Germany in July and visiting them in 2025.”
In July 2024, the German participants will travel to Namibia. Here, they will visit Namibian schools, receive practical training from NaDEET together with their Namibian colleagues and learn pedagogical methods to teach children and young people about ESD.
The project is implemented by the working group Geography and its Didactics of the University of Trier, Suni e.V., the Light for the Children Foundation and the Directorate of Education Omaheke Regiponal Council.
The German-Namibian Exchange of Educators is supported by the German-African Youth Organization at Engagement Global with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Rhineland-Palatinate Development Policy Network and the State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate.
