RESULTS OF THE 2018 ROUND
Teachers with more experienced are more likely to ensure pupils’ ageappropriate progression through primary school. The importance of a comprehensive approach to the professional advancement of teachers in Mozambique has been discussed elsewhere (Bassi, Medina Pedreira and Nhampossa, 2019). It can be argued that years of experience is an aggregate measure not only of their pedagogical skills and knowledge, but also for the psychosocial competencies that allow them to ensure better results for pupils. The results point to the relative importance of years in service vs. qualifications. This suggests that policies focused on the retention of experienced teachers and on-the-job incentives should not be overlooked. Pre-school formal learning can boost educational attainment in primary school. With the exception of some pilot initiatives, in Mozambique there is no public provision of pre-school education. Therefore, it is not surprising that only 5.4 per cent of caregivers reported on their child’s attendance in such a programme. The study shows that pre-school provision has a pronounced, positive effect on reducing child’s recurrent absenteeism and on school progression, but the effect is not independent from family wealth and regional distribution. Roll-out of affordable pre-school education in the basic education cycle through accelerated summer programmes or other low-cost initiatives should be a top education policy priority in the coming years. Regional disparity in the level of absenteeism and educational attainment mirrors the entrenched socio-economic gap between the northern and the southern regions, and demonstrates direct linkages between the economic and human development of the country. The deterioration of all measured educational outcomes along the geographic vector (from south to the north) is staggering. Regional differences remain highly significant after accounting for various family and school socio-economic characteristics. As a proxy for socioeconomic opportunities, regional disparities reflect an unequal distribution of public investments in infrastructure and services, and limited labour market opportunities for young people, which suppress their aspirations for education. Addressing the unequal allocation of resources is an urgent policy task that goes beyond the education sector and vital to prevent a further deterioration of youth’s productive engagement. Recommended policy actions Evidence presented in this report suggests that policy action must be systematic, comprehensive and sustainable, in support of both the demand- and supplyside of education. Three broad policy areas deserve the immediate attention of policymakers in the education sector in Mozambique. The ‘asks’ include but are not limited to the following:
IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT >
Reinforce regular inspection visits by the educational directorates (at least three per academic year).
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Increase in-job incentives to retain experienced teachers and develop measures that encourage them to take up posts in the most challenging locations.
SCHOOL CLIMATE AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS, THE 86
