Mozambique: Schools Close So Teachers Can Campaign For Frelimo

The Ministry of Education is tightly controlled by Frelimo. Teachers and school directors are expected to campaign and vote for Frelimo. Often, all teachers are registered at a single polling station to facilitate party control. And there have been widespread reports of schools closed this week, as teachers (and sometimes their pupils) campaign.

The school term should have begun Monday, but teachers have not shown up this week Marraca Primary School, in the Luluti administrative post, Nampula. In Rapale district, Nampula, pupils in uniform were seen in the Frelimo motorcade.
Frelimo in Vilankulo, Inhambane, instructed teachers to suspend classes, in order to support the party in publicising its election manifesto.
Many schools in Lago, Niassa province, did not open for the start of the term due to the involvement of the teachers in the election campaign. One was Matauale Primary School, in  Metangula.

In Namacurra, in Zambézia province, the district administrator, Abílio Xavier Moura, led the a Frelimo parade to the Namatida Rio Primary School, in Mexixine locality. The classes were interrupted.
Frelimo is forcing the directors of the schools in Maganja da Costa, Zambezia, to pay 500 meticais ($8) to support the election campaign.
In Funhalouro, Inhambane, a classroom is being used for the Frelimo Party campaign.

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