Die stryd van die Duitser om die behoud van sy eie op die gebied van die skoolwese in Suidwes-Afrika

Abstract

Abstract taken from Abstracts of theses and dissertations accepted for higher degrees in the POtchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 1956-1975, 1976, pp. 17-19:

According to the London Agreement of 1923 the Administration undertook to subsidise the schools and their hostels at Windhoek and Swakopmund. This concession was extended to primary schools in 1925 and was followed by more favourable grants until 1937

In 1940 the Joint Matriculation Board allowed candidates to offer: (1) German higher grade (2) English lower grade (3) Afrikaans lower grade. The other three subjects selected according to existing regulations could be taken in German

German members of the Legislative Assembly wanted German as a third official language but this was not granted. With the rise of National Socialism in Germany its influence was also directed to South West Africa. It infiltrated schools and youth movements with the result that the Hitler-jugend was banned in 1934

After the War, Proclamation No. 36 of 1945 deprived the Germans of all the privileges which they had previously enjoyed. The struggle was renewed. In 1950, however, the National Party came into power and requests by the German Community were favourably considered. Several commissions of enquiry were appointed and their reports led to the re-establishment of German sections in Government Schools where mother tongue instruction was allowed up to Std. 4 and later Std. 5. Subsidies were granted to private schools under certain conditions

Today there are eight German medium sections in Government primary schools apart from two separate German primary schools at Tsumeb and Otjiwarongo. At the appropriate time facilities for German medium instruction up to Std. 8 will be provided at Swakopmund High School. Two more German primary schools will be established at Swakopmund and Windhoek in the near future

Since 1963 the Joint Matriculation Board has allowed candidates to offer German on the Higher Grade, one of the official languages on the Iligher Grade and one on the Lower Grade. However, the Board accepted a pass in the Lower Grade in both official languages if all other requirements were observed

It is evident that the former strife and struggle has entered a phase of peaceful co-operation where requests can be debated calmly. A feeling of mutual respect is uniting the three main cultural groups in a spirit of common loyalty to South West Africa and its people