“We are making this investment of approximately $12 million [€10.3 million] to rehabilitate nine institutions nationwide starting next year,” stated Léo Jamal, Secretary of State for Technical-Professional Education, speaking in Maputo.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Professional Education Forum with the Productive Sector, Jamal noted that the major challenge for education right now is to expand the capacity to offer training to the population, “ensuring that technical-professional education institutions become increasingly available and accessible” to the public.
Without specifying the total investment, Jamal mentioned that further funding is planned to upgrade various technical-professional education institutions to “equip them with the necessary tools to meet the demands of the labor market.”
“We have a portfolio of projects to rehabilitate 30 technical-professional education institutions across the nation, supported by the State Budget and other partners,” stated Jamal.
According to the Secretary of State, the past 15 years have seen significant progress in professional education in the country, with over 3,000 trainers educated in technology and pedagogical psychology tailored for education.
“Currently, we have 264 technical-professional education institutions nationwide, capable of accommodating 120,000 trainees annually. Nonetheless, we believe we can further enhance our capacity to respond and offer training nationwide,” he explained.
At the event, Samuel Gudo, President of the National Authority for Professional Education (ANEP), remarked that Mozambique grapples with youth unemployment, urging the state and various social players to seek solutions to “transform this paradigm” by working towards concrete future actions.
“Employment is a significant challenge. On average, Mozambique creates around 100,000 jobs, yet approximately 500,000 young people reach working age,” he said.
An important aspect of this process is the participation of the productive sector in the debate, as it can catalyze practical reforms aimed at broadening the training market through long and short-term course offerings, including pre-professional internships at companies. This participation also aids in identifying value chains that “favor” youth employability.
The government has been implementing reforms in the professional education sector for years, currently boasting 264 institutions according to 2024 data, up from 171 in 2017. Of these institutions, 162 are private, according to official data.
The number of students in professional education has also risen in Mozambique, reaching 122,000 students in 2024, with 70% attending private institutions, compared to 83,000 recorded in 2017, as per data released by the Government of Mozambique.
