Mozambique’s Ministry of Education announced that the country is close to achieving universal primary schooling, which is one of the eight targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) endorsed by the United Nations (UN).
At a meeting held in the Ministry’s Coordinating Council located in Gondola District, the Senior Ministry staff reported that Mozambique’s enrollment rate includes up to 90 percent of the country’s school-aged children, both boys and girls. Eurico Banze, the spokesperson for the meeting commented, “In terms of access, we are positively advancing towards meeting the targets.”
The Ministry acknowledged that wide access to primary education does not equate to high retention rate of students. In some levels of primary education, the graduation rate is reported to be lower than 50 percent. “The finishing rates are low, and that’s why we need to make an effort to overcome the problems affecting the quality pf education and academic performance,” Banze added.
One of the major obstacles to increasing the retention rate is the inadequate number of schools for sixth and seventh graders. Mozambique’s primary education is divided into two levels: First Level Primary Education includes grades 1-5 and Second Level Primary Education includes grades 6-7. The number of Second Level primary schools is significantly lower than that of First Level primary schools, narrowing the gateway for student to continue their education. The discussion at the meeting particularly focused on education in rural areas where many students lack access to Second Level Primary Education.
As an expedient to improve the quality of primary education, Augusto Jone, the Minister of Education announced the re-introduction of preschool education starting next year.
The implementation of preschool education is a pilot project that will be launched in only seven or eight districts in the country. The preparation for the project is well-advanced on its way under the Mozambican government’s Education Strategic Plan for 2012-2016.
The state-regulated preschool system vanished in time with the changes in the National Education System. As of today, private institutions concentrated in major cities are the only places to acquire preschool education. The pilot project will be monitored by the state and will aim to provide access to those in remote, rural areas “where mothers leave their children when they go to their fields or to work,” as noted by the Minister.
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