Communication and Power in Teacher Training Policies (1992–2024) in Mozambique: A Decolonial Reading

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.2165925300710

• Palavras-chave: Teacher training; Southern epistemologies; Postcolonialism; Professional development; Mozambique.

• Keywords: Teacher training; Southern epistemologies; Postcolonialism; Professional development; Mozambique.

• Abstract:

  This study critically analyzes teacher training policies in Mozambique from 1992 to 2024, based on a decolonial reading supported by three theoretical contributions: Epistemologies of the South (Castiano, 2011), postcolonial criticism (Sayed, 2016), and the sociology of teaching professions (Tardif, 2002; Nóvoa, 2009). The research adopted a mixed methodological approach, combining documentary analysis, bibliographic review, questionnaires administered to 120 teachers from different levels of education and regions of the country, and semi-structured interviews with key actors in the education system. The results identify five persistent challenges: fragmentation of training policies, tensions between quantitative targets and quality, dissociation between theory and practice, devaluation of continuing training, and dependence on external agendas. Half of the teachers consider their training to be only "partially adequate" due to the disconnect between the curriculum and the realities of schools. Postcolonial analysis shows that 68% of curricula maintain Eurocentric structures, and the sociology of professions points to weaknesses in promoting critical reflection among teachers. Given this scenario, a training model rooted in African pedagogies is proposed, linked to SDG 4 and based on three axes: (a) decolonized curricula that integrate local knowledge, (b) effective coordination between schools and training institutions, and (c) sustainable mechanisms for continuing education. The research contributes to debates on pedagogical decolonization in Lusophone Africa by highlighting the limiting effects of imported paradigms on professional autonomy and the contextual relevance of educational policies. Analysis of official documents also reveals that only 12% of programs address the challenges of rural education in Mozambique, reinforcing the need for structural reforms focused on epistemological justice and the strengthening of culturally situated educational policies.