BUJUMBURA March 4th (ABP) – The German Multicultural Center (CMA), in partnership with the German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa (DSIK), the Incubation and Acceleration Center of the University of Burundi (CINAUB), the Peace Project and Reconciliation (PPR) and the Stiftung Entwicklungs Zusammenarbeit (SEZ), officially opened German courses for the year 2024 on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at the University of Burundi.
On that occasion, the legal representative of the German multicultural center, Aloys Misago, indicated that when the German courses started in 2017, there were only 57 registered. That year the center has 2,540 registered, according to him. He particularly thanked the teachers for their perseverance, indicating that German is not easy to learn.
Faced with the difficulties encountered by some learners who fail to pass the exam, Mr. Misago indicated that each teacher is faced with the question of how he can help learners to easily assimilate the material, promote the pleasure of learn it and develop learners’ autonomy in learning.
It is in that sense that that center wants to strengthen German clubs at the University of Burundi, in other universities and in primary and secondary schools in Burundi. “Those clubs are complemented by a stay in Germany, while hoping that those who will leave that time will return to the country,” said Mr. Misago. He thus encouraged the learners to be perseverant and not to give up at the first difficulty.
He also thanked the University of Burundi for supporting that German course program, stressing that that University is becoming the cradle of German courses in Burundi. He did not forget to present his thanks to the German Embassy which has supported that project from the start and welcomed the new ambassador.
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Burundi, Mr. Carsten Hölscher, stressed that the aim of that German course in Burundi is to strengthen and facilitate cooperation between the University of Burundi and Universities and Higher Schools. from the state of Baden Württemberg. It is also about promoting German courses in Burundi, so that students from that country can know that language and have the opportunity to live and work in Germany.
The ambassador was delighted with the good number of learners and took that opportunity to thank the German teachers, the staff of the said center as well as all the support of the Stiftung Entwicklungs Zusammenarbeit (SEZ) center and the University of Burundi. Note that that was also an opportunity for the German multicultural center to sign a partnership agreement with other Burundian institutions which will begin German courses. Those are the Nyanza-Lac Technical High School, La Clairière high school, the Niyongabo Foundation which shelters orphans and albinos, Kazoza FM. They also awarded certificates to students who learned German at A₁, A₂, B₁ and B₂. Once section B₂ has been completed, the representative of that center has indicated that learners are eligible for a trip to Germany to work there.