Mozambique’s education ministry intends to evaluate 5,250 schools during 2027, a strategy designed to enhance supervisory capacity and raise academic standards. Education Minister Edson Macuácua revealed this plan while launching the inaugural national training workshop for inspectors in Ponta do Ouro, located in southern Maputo province. AllAfrica and the Club of Mozambique reported that this figure accounts for 35 percent of the nation’s educational facilities, marking an increase from the 4,880 schools, or 32.5 percent, targeted in 2026.
Macuácua indicated that the upcoming programme will prioritize 220 specific institutions while the state continues to train its 234 active inspectors. He explained that the focus of these on-site reviews will vary by sector. In general education, inspectors will assess effective teaching and learning outcomes, while vocational education will emphasize practical training and employability. For higher education, the inspections will evaluate the quality of courses and academic integrity. The minister noted that the goal is to address irregularities and ensure better services for citizens by keeping inspectors close to schools and communities.
This expansion of inspection efforts comes as the education sector faces a significant labor dispute. The National Association of Teachers, known as ANAPRO, has been pressing the government for a resolution to the issue of unpaid teacher overtime, a problem that has persisted since 2023. According to the Club of Mozambique, ANAPRO claims that various avenues of dialogue have been exhausted without a satisfactory response. The union reported approaching multiple state bodies, including the education and finance ministries, the prime minister’s office, the administrative tribunal, the ombudsman, and parliament, all without success.
ANAPRO has expressed a loss of trust in the state agencies it has been negotiating with. The association argues that all means of dialogue have been tried, yet the core demands remain unaddressed. This context suggests that the newly appointed minister must implement concrete measures to solve these underlying problems, moving beyond mere assessments or meetings with former sector managers. The government’s stated aim is to use the inspection regime as a tool for systemic improvement while these negotiations continue.