This report provides evidence-based diagnostics to support education leaders and development partners. It focuses on completion rates and the percentage of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Primary school enrolment in Mozambique has improved, with no major gender disparity. However, around 3 million children remain out of school due to social and economic barriers and insufficient educational infrastructure. The high pupil/teacher ratio, driven by a nearly 3% population growth rate, presents a significant challenge.

Reforms have aimed to enhance education quality, access, and retention, including curricular changes in teacher training, extending compulsory education to grade 9, expanding pre-primary education, and promoting bilingual education. Despite these efforts, issues like absenteeism among school directors, teachers, and students persist.

Fieldwork highlights the urgent need to improve school infrastructure and enhance monitoring, supervision, and inspections. Collaborative teaching and strong school management are crucial for policy compliance.

Recommendations include constructing more schools, hiring more teachers, improving teacher quality and school management, expanding bilingual education, enhancing pedagogical supervision, creating supportive environments for out-of-school children, and involving parents and communities in school councils.