Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has dismissed Education Minister Samaria Tovela following widespread criticism of her remarks suggesting that teachers’ financial difficulties were largely caused by poor budgeting.
Chapo announced Tovela’s removal and appointed Édson Macuácua, the former Secretary of State for Science and Higher Education, as her replacement.
Macuácua also serves as chairperson of the Technical Commission for the Inclusive National Dialogue.
The dismissal comes weeks after Tovela triggered outrage among teachers by suggesting that their financial problems stemmed more from poor personal financial management than low salaries or delayed government payments.
Speaking at the Education Ministry’s second Coordinating Council meeting earlier this month, Tovela argued that teachers needed to manage their finances more effectively and avoid accumulating debts they could not repay.
“It’s a matter of having a budget and knowing how to organise yourself within that budget rather than incurring debt that you cannot repay,” she said.
Her comments drew sharp criticism from educators, many of whom said the minister had overlooked the economic pressures confronting teachers, including low wages and outstanding payments for additional work.
The controversy further heightened tensions between the Education Ministry and the National Association of Teachers (ANAPRO), which has been demanding the settlement of long-standing unpaid overtime allowances.
ANAPRO has repeatedly accused the government of failing to address teachers’ grievances, arguing that several rounds of negotiations have produced little progress.
The dispute over unpaid allowances has remained a major source of frustration among teachers, who have called for the authorities to honour their financial obligations.
Tovela’s remarks added to the strained relationship between educators and the government, with critics arguing that calls for better personal budgeting failed to address the underlying issues of inadequate remuneration and delayed payments.
In a related administrative reshuffle, Chapo appointed Isaú Menezes as the new Secretary of State for Science and Higher Education.
The changes come amid mounting pressure on the government to resolve teachers’ grievances and ease tensions within Mozambique’s education sector.
