Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, and among the many development challenges it faces is strengthening the educational system. One key hurdle is to overcome the deficit of qualified educators. Though progress has been made in past years to improve the situation, student-teacher ratios in primary schools remain unacceptably high (an average of 55 students for every teacher).
Planet Aid is proud to be a long-time supporter of primary school teacher-training in Mozambique. Last month, graduation ceremonies were held at 11 teacher-training colleges operated by Planet Aid's in-country partner ADPP Mozambique. The new graduates are broadening the ranks of those helping to make quality education a reality.
At one ADPP college located in the outskirts of the capital city of Maputo, 59 newly certified graduates were awarded their diplomas. The ceremony was attended by the Governor of Maputo Province, Raimundo Diomba; the Minister of Education, Conceita Sortane; and the Executive Director of ADPP Mozambique, Birgit Holm.
Director Holm congratulated the graduates in Maputo on their accomplishment, and reported that across the country more than 1,500 new teachers were trained by ADPP in the past year. She underscored that more than half of these teachers were women.
Governor Diomba also offered his congratulations and -- given that a teacher has an important role to play in improving society -- urged the graduates to find local solutions to the day-to-day problems they will encounter in their communities. ADPP's teacher-training program is unique in that it prepares student teachers to not only be effective in the classroom, but to find ways to make a difference in the lives of pupils' families and the larger community.
Planet Aid offers its congratulations to the new graduates and wishes them all the best in their careers.
To learn more about Planet Aid's support for teacher training click here.