English Teaching Volunteer Work in Mozambique

English Teaching Volunteer Work in Mozambique

Teaching in Mozambique as a Projects Abroad volunteer will give you a new perspective on this incredible country. Whether you are volunteering during your gap year, career break or on an extended holiday, you will have a valuable role to play teaching in one of our partner schools.

By volunteering in Mozambique you will gain invaluable teaching and classroom based work experience. The focus is on conversational English, so you do not need any formal qualifications or TEFL training.

Following independence from Portugal in 1975, teacher training programmes and the building of new schools have not kept up with population increases. The quality of education suffered particularly badly after the end of the Civil War in 1992, as increasing numbers wanted an education, but the infrastructure was not in place.

All children in Mozambique are required by law to attend primary school; however, many children do not attend and continue to work on their family’s farms. In 2007 almost half of all teachers in Mozambique were still unqualified and only a third of girls complete their primary education.

Volunteering in Mozambique on a Teaching Project

Projects Abroad Mozambique is based in the coastal town of Vilanculos. There is increasing demand to learn English amongst Mozambique’s young population, due to growing tourism and a general optimism about the on-going development of the country.

Volunteer teachers work alongside the local staff to help improve the pronunciation of the children’s English. By teaching fun, inclusive lessons you can really help to develop the pupils' confidence. They are sure to be interested in you and your life, and you can take advantage of this to get them talking to you and each other.

In most schools you will begin as a classroom assistant, supporting the teacher in their lessons. However, as you get to know the children better and start to grow in confidence you may be asked to take on more responsibility. However, please keep in mind that there are sometimes shortages of teachers and many are not formally qualified, so in some cases you may be asked to get more involved from the start.

The impact you have on the lives of your students will be obvious and long-lasting, but you will also be part of a much larger volunteer network, which is making a really positive long-term contribution to the wider community.