Pemba, Mozambique, July 9, 2025 (Lusa) - The administrator of Quissanga, in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, today encouraged teachers to return to classes, dismissing “false news” about insecurity in an area where terrorism has forced the closure of 30 schools.
“Some [teachers] appear to intimidate others to keep them from giving class. At times, they circulate false information that encourages their colleagues to leave their duties,” explained the district administrator of Quissanga, Sidónio José, in statements to journalists.
The official, who has been working in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, since the last attack in March 2024, believes that “teachers who choose not to return to class do so for reasons other than terrorism or insecurity.”
Teachers complain that the authorities are forcing them to return to the district, which terrorists systematically attack. Still, the government says conditions are now in place for a return to normal life, despite problems in “two or three villages”.
The government states that it is accurate that it is not forcing teachers to return to school. We met in March and appealed for them to return to class, and we met again last week, and they were moved.”
At the meeting between the local government and the teachers, the latter requested a formal communication from the district administration explaining that security had been restored and that conditions were in place for classes to resume.
“In a way, the teacher wanted to convey to the country the feeling that Quissanga is still experiencing attacks and that Quissanga is unsafe, whereas we reiterate that the situation is secure,” said the administrator.
“We have reopened 32 schools, and in the district, we have health workers, economic activity professionals, and infrastructure professionals who are working in all communities,” he added.
The district administrator promised that the government would return to Quissanga next week, after more than a year away.
The education sector reported that terrorist attacks and cyclones have destroyed at least 2,329 classrooms in recent years in Cabo Delgado province.
Since October 2017, the gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed rebellion with attacks claimed by movements associated with the Islamic State extremist group, which have displaced more than one million people.
Islamic extremist groups killed at least 349 people in the province in 2024 alone, an increase of 36% over the previous year, according to data that the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies recently released. The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies is an academic institution of the US Department of Defence that analyses conflicts in Africa.
RYR/ADB // ADB.
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