Over Eight Million Children In Mozambique Begin 2021 School Year

Millions of children are returning to schools in Mozambique, after a year in which the schools were closed because of the Covid-19 fiasco.

More than eight million children will be attending school, from first to 12th grade, and about two million of them will be entering school for the first time.

In the past primary school classes frequently contained 60 or more pupils but with the new reality, pupils will find that the learning experience has changed radically since classes can no longer contain large numbers of pupils.

However, spokesperson for the Education Ministry, Gina Mabunda, said the number of pupils in any classroom must not exceed 25 adding that schools could now be obliged to hold classes on Saturdays.

Some subjects have been dropped from the primary school curriculum this year, including physical education, music and English language.

Also, secondary education curriculum has seen some subjects dropped from the vocational subjects such as business studies, agriculture and livestock, tourism, and information and communication technologies.

The school day has been shortened by half an hour, from a maximum of five hours teaching time a day to four and a half.

Guibunda admitted that an unspecified number of schools will not be able to resume classes on Monday, because they still do not have adequate washing and sanitation facilities as is required and schools without an appropriate water supply cannot re-open.

Guibunda stressed that measures are being taken to ensure that all schools can overcome such problems adding that 30 per cent of the budget of each school is earmarked for improving water and sanitation conditions.

The 2021 school year has been divided into three terms, each of 12 weeks.

The first term began this Monday and runs until 11 June and then schools will proceed on a weeklong break after which the second term will begin and run from 21 June to 3 September.

The final term starts on 13 September and ends on 19 November.