Newsletter 07.11.2026
A special week lies behind us. While many of our students were away on school trips or shared excursions, learning took place in all kinds of different settings – by the sea, on a cocoa farm, in a high ropes course, in an animal feed factory and at many other exciting learning locations. Alongside new experiences, community, independence and teamwork were at the heart of the week.
At the same time, we are already looking ahead to an exceptionally eventful week. The Gerald Asamoah Foundation’s Heart Surgery Week begins, our Grade 8 students will take on real responsibility as part of their social project, on Thursday we will celebrate our Lantern Festival together, and on Friday students from Grades 5 to 9 will represent GISA at the Cultural Festival of the Goethe-Institut.
There is plenty of other news as well: our school calendar for 2027/28 has been finalised, the Excellence Scholarship Programme is moving into its next round with a very encouraging number of applications, and preparations for our Christmas Market are well underway.
We hope you enjoy reading and discovering this week’s news!
Namdah Studios Wins Video Competition for the GISA Scholarship Programme
Alexina Adja-Cudjoe and Ishmael Agyapong from Namdah Studios have won the “ESP Next Content Creator” competition. On 5 November, they received their certificate and prize money of GHS 10,000 at GISA.
The competition has helped to raise further awareness of our Excellence Scholarship Programme. For the third scholarship round, we received 45 complete applications, and around thirty children were invited to the Assessment Center on 7 November.
Congratulations to the winners – and a big thank-you to all participants for their creative contributions!
➡️ Read more: Namdah Studios Wins Video Competition for the GISA Scholarship Programme
School Calendar 2027/28 Approved
Following consultation with the Parent Council and formal approval by the Board, the school and holiday calendar for the 2027/28 academic year has now been finalised.
This gives our families the opportunity to plan holidays and travel well in advance around the school schedule. The first school day will be 16 August 2027, and the last school day will be 23 June 2028. The calendar includes a total of 182 school days.
Many thanks to the Parent Council and the Board for their constructive cooperation!
❤️ Heart Surgery Week: Grade 8 Takes Responsibility
From 7 to 14 November, the Gerald Asamoah Foundation’s Heart Surgery Week will once again take place in Ghana. A medical team from Germany will treat children with heart conditions and provide life-saving surgery that can open up new perspectives for their future.
Our Grade 8 students will also be actively involved. As part of their social project “Responsibility from the Heart”, they will support the medical team with catering, organise donations and shared activities, and gain insights into the work of doctors and nurses.
In this way, social learning becomes real responsibility – with plenty of initiative, teamwork and heart.
🏮 GISA Lantern Festival on 12 November
On Thursday, 12 November, GISA warmly invites the entire school community as well as friends and guests to our Lantern Festival. From 5:00 p.m., we can look forward to coffee and cake, a Kindergarten stage programme, our shared lantern parade and a relaxed dinner afterwards.
Our Crèche, Kindergarten and Primary School children are already excited to see their handmade lanterns glowing. Guests without their own lantern are also very welcome.
➡️ Read more: Invitation to the GISA Lantern Festival on 12 November 2026
🎭 Looking Ahead: Cultural Festival at the Goethe-Institut
Already next Friday, 13 November, GISA will be represented at the Cultural Festival of the Goethe-Institut Accra. Students from Grades 5 to 9 are currently preparing their contributions and will show how creative and lively learning German can be at our school.
Final rehearsals will take place on Thursday. We wish all participants lots of fun, success and an exciting festival day!
🎄 GISA Christmas Market – Everyone Is Welcome!
On Saturday, 28 November 2026, our school grounds will be transformed into a festive Christmas Market from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Visitors can look forward to market stalls, music, food and drinks, activities for children and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus.
Guests who do not yet know our school are especially welcome. Take the opportunity to discover GISA in a relaxed atmosphere, meet members of our school community and enjoy a festive evening with us.
Bring your family, friends and neighbours – we are looking forward to welcoming many guests and sharing a special evening on our campus!
✈️ Important Information for Entry into Ghana
New health measures apply to travellers entering Ghana through an international airport. Before travelling, an online Health Declaration Form must be completed. The QR code generated afterwards must be presented upon arrival in Ghana.
The measures are part of precautionary health monitoring at the point of entry. We recommend that travellers check the latest entry requirements again before departure.
Health Declaration Form:
https://ehds.ghs.gov.gh
⛪ German-speaking Protestant Congregation in Accra
On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the German-speaking Protestant Congregation in Accra invites everyone to a Holy Communion service with Reverend Heidi Hafner at 10:30 a.m. at Ridge Church. The service will take place on the accessible first floor of the main building. No registration is required, and people of all denominations are warmly welcome.
Save the date: On Sunday, 29 November 2026, a special family service for the First Advent will take place at GISA at 10:30 a.m. Afterwards, the congregation will host an Advent Café with seasonal treats and activities for children.
Further information can be found on the attached flyer: Download PDF Flyer Deutschsprachige Evangelische Gemeinde
Contact: Doris Bloniarz, Parish Board, WhatsApp: 0544 336 181
Nursery & Kindergarten
Nursery – Getting Creative for St. Martin
This week, preparations for the upcoming St. Martin’s celebration were at the centre of our activities. The children completed the decorations for the group room using threaded beads. They also made their own individual lanterns and decorated them colourfully with watercolours. In doing so, they strengthened their creativity, fine motor skills and concentration.
Movement and free play in the garden were also an important part of the week. While building in the sand and riding different vehicles, the children gained a wide range of motor and social experiences.
Kindergarten – Movement, Discovery and Excitement for the Lantern Festival
From hand hygiene and Puff Puffs to creative preparations for the Lantern Festival and an exciting Bike Day on our basketball court – there was plenty going on in Kindergarten this week. The small traffic course was a particular highlight, allowing the children to learn important road and cycling rules through play.
Primary School
Grade 1/2 – A Special Visit to De Heus
During their visit to De Heus in Tema and a nearby poultry farm, Grade 1/2 gained exciting insights into the production of animal feed. The children explored the production facilities and laboratory, examined different raw materials and even had the chance to feed chickens themselves on the farm.
A heartfelt thank-you to the entire De Heus team for their wonderful hospitality and for making this such a special learning experience!
➡️ Read more: Grade 1/2 Visits De Heus and a Poultry Farm
Grades 3/4 – Out and About Together
Grades 3 and 4 were also out on a shared excursion during this special week. A detailed report about their experiences will follow.
Secondary School
Grades 5 and 6 – From the Palace to the Treetops
Grades 5 and 6 spent three eventful days together in Akpogong. Their programme included tennis, attending a celebration at the village palace, visiting Ghana’s first cocoa farm, exploring a waterfall, tackling a high ropes course, enjoying a quiz night and taking part in a talent show.
The trip was about much more than adventure and fun. Team spirit, experiences in nature, cultural encounters and overcoming new challenges together were at the heart of the journey.
➡️ Read more: From the Palace to the Treetops – Grades 5 and 6 on School Trip in Akpogong
Grade 7 – Five Days of School Trip, Five Days Full of Stories
Five days at Ko-Sa Beach and in Elmina, with countless shared experiences along the way: Grade 7 documented their school trip in a detailed travel diary. Between lessons under palm trees, the sea and volleyball, an almost ten-kilometre coastal hike, history brought to life at Elmina Castle, creative activities and the mysterious “Secret of Ko-Sa Beach”, there was never a dull moment.
The trip was not only about fun and adventure. Team spirit, independence, consideration for others and learning together accompanied the class throughout the week – creating memories that will certainly stay with them for a long time.
➡️ Day 1: Finally, School Trip! – Arrival, the Sea and the Secret of Ko-Sa Beach
➡️ Day 2: Lessons under Palm Trees – Creativity, Teamwork and the First Clues
➡️ Day 3: Ten Kilometres Along the Coast – Elmina Castle and History Brought to Life
➡️ Day 4: Sport, Art and Solving the Secret of Ko-Sa Beach
➡️ Day 5: Saying Goodbye to Ko-Sa Beach – Many Memories to Take Home
Grade 8 – Five Days of Adventure in Togo
For five days, Grade 8 explored the region around Kpalimé in Togo. Waterfalls, a boat trip on Lake Togo, historical sites and a hike up Mont Agou, the highest mountain in the country, made the trip a very special experience.
Alongside the impressive landscapes, the journey was above all about teamwork, flexibility and many memorable encounters – as well as the opportunity to put French language skills into practice.
➡️ Read more: School Trip to Togo – Five Days Full of Adventure and Encounters
Immediately afterwards, the class will move on to its next special experience: Heart Surgery Week and the social project “Responsibility from the Heart”.
Grade 9 – Delayed, but Definitely Not Cancelled
While all the other learning groups were away on school trips or excursions this week, our Grade 9 students stayed behind and kept studying. But they certainly do not have to go without a travel adventure of their own – quite the opposite: after Easter 2027, a very special trip to Germany awaits them.
The plans are becoming increasingly concrete. In Gelsenkirchen, the students will visit our partner school, Gesamtschule Berger Feld, take part in lessons and gain insights into the environment around Schalke 04. Another week will focus on practical experience and career orientation. Further stops will take the class to Potsdam and Berlin, including encounters with the University of Potsdam and opportunities to explore Germany’s capital.
Until then, however, there is still plenty of learning to do. In Geography this week, Ghana itself was at the centre of attention. The students explored world population, population development and the question of why people are distributed so unevenly within a country. They analysed data, examined connections and compared Ghana with other regions.
One striking fun fact: in 1960, Ghana had around 6.7 million inhabitants. Today, the figure is around 35 million. In just over six decades, the country’s population has therefore increased more than fivefold.
So while Grade 9 remained at GISA this week, their learning journey already stretched from the changing population of Ghana all the way to Germany.
Dates & Outlook
❤️ 7–14 November 2026 – Gerald Asamoah Foundation Heart Surgery Week in Ghana
⛪ 8 November 2026, 10:30 a.m. – Holy Communion service of the German-speaking Protestant Congregation at Ridge Church
🤝 12 November 2026, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. – Visit by Tobias Vetter (Ministry of School and Education of North Rhine-Westphalia) and Yolande Yayra Gake (Ghana) to GISA – exchange on school development, cooperation and digitalisation
🏮 12 November 2026, from 5:00 p.m. – GISA Lantern Festival
🎭 13 November 2026 – Cultural Festival at the Goethe-Institut Accra
📚➗ 20 November 2026 – National Reading Aloud Day & Long Night of Mathematics
🤝 23–25 November 2026 – GABS 2026 / GISA at the Team Germany Lounge
🎬 25 November 2026 – EducataGhana Pre-Evening / Content Creator Contest
🎄 28 November 2026, 4:00–9:00 p.m. – GISA Christmas Market
⛪ 29 November 2026, 10:30 a.m. – Family Service for the First Advent at GISA, followed by an Advent Café
🇬🇭 4 December 2026 – Farmers’ Day, no school
🎒 18 December 2026 – Last school day before the Christmas holidays
🎄 21 December 2026–8 January 2027 – Christmas Holidays
⛪ 24 December 2026 – Christmas Eve Church Service
🏫 11 January 2027 – First school day after the Christmas holidays
⚽Gerald Asamoah Football Academy
Lantern Festival
The Long Night of Mathematics & Reading Aloud
Christmas Market
☕ DaF Café: Speaking German and Connecting Through Conversation
GISA Teen Club
