The Perception of German Culture Among Secondary School Students in Enugu State

This study investigates the perceptions of secondary school students in Enugu State, South East Nigeria, regarding German culture, with a focus on how these perceptions influence attitudes towards German language learning. Cultural attitudes are recognised as important determinants of motivation and engagement in foreign language education. In Nigeria, limited exposure to German cultural content in secondary school curricula may result in stereotyped or incomplete cultural perceptions that affect students' willingness to invest effort in language learning. The study adopts a descriptive survey design and collects data from 300 senior secondary school students across six schools in Enugu and Nsukka using a Likert-scale questionnaire supplemented by focus group discussions. The questionnaire assesses cultural knowledge, sources of cultural information, and the perceived relevance of German culture to Nigerian life. Findings reveal that students' perceptions of Germany are predominantly shaped by indirect sources such as social media, football, and car brands rather than by formal education. Most students associate Germany with technological advancement and economic prosperity, while knowledge of German history, social values, and everyday life is limited. The study recommends the integration of culturally rich and contemporary German content into secondary school language teaching to foster more nuanced and motivating cultural representations. Keywords: cultural perception, German culture, secondary school students, Enugu State, language motivation.