Mozambique Begins Investigation Into Illegal Employment of 88 Teachers

The Mozambican Education Ministry is working with the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) to investigate how 88 teachers were hired illegally in Mecanhelas district in the northern province of Niassa.

All 88 were expelled from the Mecanhelas schools last week with no explanation as to how such a large number of people, who allegedly did not meet the requirements for teaching, were allowed to work in the first place.

Speaking to reporters in Maputo, Education Minister Carmelita Namashalua said the authorities “are following the matter closely, because this is a crime”.

She added that verification was under way in all the country’s districts to check that there are no other teachers working illegally.

She pointed out that all individuals who apply for jobs in the State must pass through a public tender, “and there are rules that must be strictly observed”.

In Mecanhelas, she continued, the next step would be to reorganize the working hours of the teachers, “because this is a district where teachers are not working full time. This is theft from the State. So we are organising so that every teacher has a complete timetable”.

She explained that the hiring of new teachers in 2019 and 2020 was illegal, because in those years the recruitment process was suspended.

Initially, 95 Mecanhelas teachers were regarded as illegal, but seven were allowed to continue teaching after their situation was regularised.