The first of its kind

Octavia Tsibes

Mr. Peter Binz, chairman of the executive committee of the Benedictine Monatery Disentis and his wife, Imedla, closed the panel on November 16, 2017. When the top 5 finalists Elli //Garoës, Lavinia Nghilinganye, Edwarde Nghifimule, Kelvin Shako and Kuhepa Uanguta were interviewed. The young Namibian learners shocked and impressed the panel and the decision was even harder for them, but Elli //Garoës a grade 9 learner from Academia Secondary school proved to be the exceptional candidate and was awarded with the bursary.

"I cannot believe I received the bursary, it really means the world to me. I touch the certificate every time to see if it's not a dream and isn’t. It was not easy to get it so far and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. I had to prove myself with so many interviews. I wanted to initially study at Stanford University, but with Matura Certificate now gives me a broader option.

I can study anywhere after completing the three years, "Garoës said. She wants to pursue mining engineer and plough back into the Land of the Brave once she completes her studies.

A few months ago, the Domenig Foundation announced that they would like to offer a 3-year scholarship to a deserving scholar from Namibia. This offer was presented to the Ministry of Education, Arts this year. "The Domenig Foundation directed the Khomas region as a starter and thereafter the ministry has approached 30 government schools that met the criteria and from the 30 schools only 19 state schools responded," Gerald Vries, the Khomas Regional Director of Education, arts and culture said.

Vries further says that the key requirements were that the learner must be academically strong and come from a less privileged background.” The 19 life skills teachers from this selected schools with the identified best performing student was given the opportunity and did the whole paperwork," he says.

Domenig Foundation

The Domenig Foundation is the idea of ??a well-known architect and as a businessman of the Swiss canton, Mr Thomas Domenig. He is internationally renowned for his involvement in charity projects. His desires are to lift and empower the youths of Namibia.

For these reasons, Domenig announced that the Domenig Foundation, which is also active in education, decided to offer a Namibian learner for the Matura programme, recognized A-level qualifications, at the prestigious Gymnasium and Internat Kloster Disentis (GKD) of 1400-year-old Disentis monastery in Switzerland.

The Matura Certificate is one of the world's most recognized A-level qualifications, which is a prerequisite for admission to Swiss universities and other leading international tertiary institutions without the need for a written entrance examination.

At GKD students participate in a bilingual (English and German) high school curriculum. Therefore, the learner in Namibia is required to learn German in the afternoon while attending school in the morning before leaving August 2018.

After sealing the partnership between the Domenig Foundation and the DKG on 11 August 2017 in Chur, Swiss eduGlobe Ltd is responsible for the recruitment, selection and enrolment of foreign students at GKD.

So impressed was Mr. Binz and his wife, Imelda, with the young Namibian scholars that the Swiss eduGlobe (is a service provider for educational industry) decided to offer the 4 candidates of a 2-week cultural and choir exchange program to GKD, Disentis in Switzerland, in March 2018.

The short-term culture and choir exchange program is an exclusive initiative, enabling students to participate in a choir and orchestra tour with more than 140 participants in major cathedrals and churches in Switzerland.

The exchange program offers the 4 scholars privileged runners, fully sponsored by GKD and Swiss eduGlobe. This includes air tickets, airport transfers, teaching, boarding and co-curricular activities.