According to a report by AIM News, Mozambique’s National Association of Teachers (ANAPRO) alleges that teachers who are members of the association or who have participated in protests are being illegally transferred to remote regions as punishment. These protests were organized to demand payment of overdue overtime wages and to call for improvements in the education system, particularly regarding overcrowded classrooms.
ANAPRO claims that these forced transfers are acts of ideological intolerance and abuse of power by the government, constituting serious human rights violations. The organization also reports that teachers have faced false accusations and intimidation aimed at silencing their freedom of expression. This follows a precedent of similar retaliation against teachers, last year, when several teachers affiliated with the opposition party, Renamo, were arbitrarily transferred after participating in political campaigns, and again in 2023, when a teacher was murdered after exposing illegal salary deductions linked to political figures.
Comment(s)/Recommendation(s)
ACAF is concerned that the forced transfers and intimidation tactics described in the report directly undermine teachers’ rights to free speech and peaceful assembly, both of which are core components of academic freedom. Two, the targeting of teachers for their association with unions or opposition parties, and for participating in demonstrations, signals political interference in the education sector. Three, silencing teachers who advocate for improvements makes it harder to address systemic issues impacting the quality of education, like overcrowding and underpayment. ACAF is also of the view that the report highlights not only academic freedom violations but also broader human rights abuses, including threats, intimidation, and even violence against teachers who speak out. Consequently, ACAF proposes that steps are taken to ensure that the academic freedom of scholars, already threatened by the suppression of their right to critique how the university is run will not be further jeopardised through forced removals.
Source(s)