A recent study presented by management and business consultant João Gomes, a partner at Bluebizz, at the Camões Portuguese Cultural Centre in Maputo, revealed significant data on the situation of music teachers in the country. The study, carried out as part of the ‘Music for All’ project, funded by the European Union and part of the PROCULTURA programme, highlights that 81.82% of graduate music teachers are employed. However, the financial reality of these professionals remains a challenge.
According to the consultant, despite the high employability rate, the quality of the job leaves something to be desired. ‘Many music teachers work only a few hours a week and receive low salaries, jeopardising the sustainability of the profession,’ said João Gomes. His study indicates that a considerable proportion of teachers teach in private, non-profit music education institutions, where incomes are particularly low. Most earn less than 15,000 meticals a month (around 233 dollars), ‘not enough for a decent living’, he argues.
The data presented reveals that music teachers in Mozambique face a number of difficulties. ‘The lack of resources in schools, the lack of specific training and the limited job opportunities are some of the obstacles that jeopardise the quality of music teaching in the country. In particular, the lack of suitable teaching materials and classrooms equipped for music teaching are recurring problems, the document reads.
João Gomes emphasised the importance of music in the cultural and educational formation of communities in Mozambique. ‘Music plays a crucial role in the cultural and educational formation of communities, but the challenges faced by music teachers jeopardise the quality of teaching and the appreciation of the profession,’ he said.
As well as financial challenges, the survey highlighted the need for improvements in technical and technological resources. ‘Only 46.87 per cent of schools have two or more classrooms specifically for music teaching, and 43.76 per cent of teachers frequently use ICT resources in their teaching. Continuous training is also a critical area, with 31.03 per cent of teachers never having taken part in any training in the area of music teaching,’ the study reads.
To tackle these challenges, the study proposes 15 improvement measures for each of the sub-variables analysed, including improving the context of music education, improving teacher training and working conditions, and increasing the availability of technical and technological resources.
The ‘Music for All’ project is implemented by a consortium of five institutions from three countries, including the Escola Artística do Conservatório de Música Calouste Gulbenkian de Aveiro, in Portugal; the Conservatório de Música e Arte Dramática; the Direcção Provincial de Cultura e Turismo de Cabo Delgado and the Fundação Hakuna Matata, in Mozambique; and the Casa da Música de Benguela, in Angola. This consortium aims to develop the capacity of institutions and human resources to provide quality music education services, promoting the professionalisation of the sector and creating long-term employment opportunities.
Results in Angola
The study was also carried out in Angola, where it revealed a similar situation. In Luanda, 96.87 per cent of music teachers are employed, but, as in Mozambique, many face precarious working conditions. Most Angolan teachers work less than 15 hours a week and earn less than 100,000 kwanzas a month (116.82 dollars), which jeopardises their quality of life.
The main difficulties faced by teachers in Angola include the lack of musical instruments and specialised classrooms, as well as the scarcity of ongoing training. As in Mozambique, the study proposed measures to improve the quality of music teaching and teachers’ working conditions, with the aim of increasing professionalisation and employability in the sector.
