A Teacher’s Journey to Inclusion in Mozambique

Luís Jossefa is an elementary school professor in Buzi District, Sofala Province, in central Mozambique. A teacher with 12 years of experience, Luís brings more than just lessons to his classroom, he brings lived experience, resilience, and a deep belief in inclusive education.

As a person with a physical disability and no prior training in inclusive education, he has faced numerous challenges both inside and outside the classroom. Despite this, he has always strived to adapt and ensure that all his students can learn with dignity and on equal terms.

In 2025, his attendance at an inclusive education training promoted by the Sofala Provincial Directorate of Education, with the support of UNICEF and the European Union, marked a turning point in his journey.

As well as acquiring new teaching strategies, Luís gained renewed hope and a stronger sense of purpose as an agent of change, determined to build a more inclusive, welcoming and discrimination-free school.

Mozambique has demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusive education, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic, the National Education System Law, and various public policies.

These instruments guarantee the right to education for children with disabilities, promoting actions such as the use of sign language, teacher training, accessibility in schools, and inclusion in mainstream education.

The Strategy for Inclusive Education and Development of Children with Disabilities and the Education Strategic Plan (2020-2029) reinforce these commitments with concrete measures in line with international treaties and conventions, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

To help make these commitments a reality, UNICEF, in collaboration with the European Union, has supported the Ministry of Education and Culture in training teachers and school managers, and providing assistive technologies for children with special educational needs.

This initiative covers the districts of Búzi in Sofala province, Namuno and Montepuez in Cabo Delgado province. In Búzi, for example, 100 elementary school teachers were trained, covering 35 schools organized into eight Pedagogical Influence Zones.

The training aimed to disseminate the National Strategy for Inclusive Education, strengthen teachers' skills in psycho-pedagogical care for students with special educational needs, introduce the use of sign language and implement inclusive practices in physical education. The initiative also included sharing experiences, setting up Pedagogical Support Units in schools and drawing up action plans for the inclusion of students with disabilities.

Luís currently teaches 5th grade at Bândua I Primary School. He has previously worked in schools such as EPC Puanda, Maconde and Macua, all of which presented challenging contexts due to the lack of specific training in inclusive education.

Nevertheless, he has always sought out empathetic and creative ways to teach. In one case, he used gestures, jokes, drawings and facial expressions to communicate with a hearing-impaired student in his class. Without formal training at that time, he developed these techniques to foster a more welcoming and accessible learning environment.

Luís reports that he has noticed positive changes in his school in recent years. Relationships between students with and without disabilities have become more natural, with classmates increasingly helping one another, such as assisting students with limited mobility to climb ramps or participate in sports.

For him, this progress reflects the impact of the joint efforts between the Government and partners such as UNICEF, as well as the ongoing work of teachers and school managers as part of the National Strategy for Inclusive Education.

Encouraged by the knowledge he gained, Luís is committed to sharing what he learned with school management and colleagues, including those who did not participate in the training. He promotes regular meetings to exchange experiences during planning sessions.

More than that, he aspires to be a true “godfather” of inclusion not only in his school, but also beyond it. He hopes to be a model of empathy and acceptance, applying strategies that encourage mutual support among students, preventing violence, particularly against children with disabilities, and promoting respect for differences, helping to build a culture of peace and diversity.

Reflecting on his own journey, Luís sees his disabled students as a mirror of his own: marked by difficulties, but also by resilience, adaptation and the will to overcome the barriers to teaching and learning. He firmly believes that, with the right support, every child can learn, grow, and pursue their dreams.

He expresses his gratitude to the Sofala Provincial Directorate, UNICEF, the European Union and all partners involved in the initiative. The training not only equipped him with practical tools, but also renewed his belief that inclusive, fair and quality education is possible, and that it begins with the commitment of every teacher.