Maputo, 19 Feb (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Association of Teachers (ANAPRO) claims that those teachers who are members of the association are being illegally transferred to remote regions, far from their homes, for joining the demonstrations in protest against the non-payment of overtime work that the government owes them.
Over the past few years, the teachers have also been demanding the improvement of the education system, threatening not to work with classes of over 100 pupils, since overcrowding has been harming the quality of education. They also threaten to boycott the second shift of lessons, if the government does not pay for the overtime which they claim is in arrears.
According to an ANAPRO statement, the compulsory transfers have been taking place over the last few days “just because some teachers are members of the organization and/or because they have taken part in the demonstrations in protest against the atrocities committed by the government.”
The organization believes that “these acts perpetrated by the government reveal ideological intolerance and abuse of power, which constitutes a serious violation of human rights.”
“Last week, for example, two teachers from the Unidade 2 Secondary School in Maputo City were accused of a crime they did not commit in the course of their professional practice”, reads the note, adding that the accusation aims at intimidating and silencing freedom of expression.
“We are victims of the system because we do not agree with illegal orders and, above all, with corruption”, the teachers say.
Last year, seven teachers affiliated to Renamo, now the third largest political party, were arbitrarily transferred from their workplaces in Vilankulo district, in the southern province of Inhambane, for having taken part in the campaign that led to that party’s victory in the municipal elections.
In 2023, ANAPRO denounced the murder of teacher Telvino Manuel Benedito, in Mocuba district, central province of Zambezia, after he had denounced illegal deductions from teachers’ salaries in favour of some individuals linked to political power.
(AIM)
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