Developing Local Language Books to Expand Bilingual Education in Mozambique

In partnership with the Mozambican Ministry of Education and Human Development, World Education held two textbook production workshops between October and December 2022. The workshop brought together 44 national authors who worked with teachers, teacher trainers, academics, and national specialists from the Ministry of Education to develop 5th and 6th grade teaching and learning materials in the local Elomwe, Echuabo, and Emakhuwa languages. The teaching and learning materials developed during the workshops included literacy, social sciences, and visual education aids and crafts. 

Once developed, the teaching and learning materials were tested by teachers, students, parents and guardians, and community members in the districts of Mocuba in Zambezia and Murrupula in Nampula. Testing is important to ensure content quality, and social and cultural acceptance of literary and illustrative content. 

Currently, the development of these teaching and learning materials is part of the USAID SABER program‘s strategy to improve the quality of education in Mozambique by providing a variety of learning resources and setting instructional standards for teachers and students. SABER is seeking to expand bilingual education in Mozambique in order to improve learning outcomes across the country, especially in areas where the local languages of Elomwe, Echuabo, and Emakhuwa are widely spoken.

According to the President of the Northern Development Agency (ADIN) and former Deputy Minister of Education and Human Development, Armindo Ngunga, “the SABER supported teaching and learning material production will ensure sustainability of the bilingual education modality” in Mozambique. Ngunga, who participated in the textbook development workshop, also underscored the fact that “the program is contributing to skills development of bilingual education teachers, who will also become textbook authors.” 

Another workshop participant and expert from the National Institute for Education Development, Afonso Manhice, further acknowledged the that workshop contributes to long-term sustainability by empowering and enabling national and local textbook production experts that can be called upon to develop other bilingual education teaching and learning materials in the future. 

For Saraiva, an experienced bilingual education teacher who teaches Emakhuwa language students, the SABER program represents a significant leap in local education in Mozambique. Her desire is for the expansion of program activities beyond Nampula to other areas like Niassa where students and speakers of other Makhuwa languages can also benefit from the teaching and learning materials being developed under SABER.