As part of the project “Educadores em Movimento – Uma Educação Itinerante para a Primeira Infância” (Educators in Movement – An Itinerant Education for Early Childhood), implemented in Mozambique between 2018 and 2022, on 15, 16, 17, 18 and 25 November, the closing celebrations of the first school year (2022) took place in the district of Chibuto, in the 5 Community Schools created, thus fulfilling the planned objective – to provide, sustainably, Itinerant Early Childhood Education Services provided, managed and integrated into 5 Communities in the district of Chibuto: Bairro 25 de Junho, Chaimite, Chiconelane, Maivene and Malahice.
The ceremonies took place with great joy, with the whole educational community participating to celebrate access to Pre-School Education in their communities.
The opening of the Schools consisted of the following programme: distribution of the usual snack to the 163 children, which is the total number that reached the end of the first school year with a significant rate of attendance, followed by speeches by the government authorities who stressed the importance of the work that the “Educadoras em Movimento” has developed in the Escolinhas and the impact that they have had on the lives of the children, This ended with the presentation of a play, whose text was adapted from the book “O Artesão e os Macacos Malabaristas” (The Craftsman and the Juggling Monkeys), by the writer Venâncio Calisto, who spent two weeks developing drama activities with the children, preparing them to perform this story for the 183 participants (mothers/fathers, family members, carers, the community in general and local authorities) who made up the number of people from the five communities who participated at the end of school year celebrations.
The high points of these ceremonies were the awarding of certificates to the “Educadoras em Movimento” (Educators in Motion) for their commitment, dedication and extraordinary work developed during the first school year of these Schools and the awarding of diplomas to the children attesting to their successful school attendance and the dedication they all put in during this period. In addition, each of these children had the right to a gift.
After the ceremonies, a meeting of mothers/fathers, relatives and carers was held, a review of the functioning of the Little Schools was made and the start of activities for the next school year was planned.
These events were intended to bring the parents and guardians closer to the Schools, making them aware of the work that is being done and highlighting the essential role that each mother, father, relative and carer has in the child’s education, creating a closer, more trusting relationship between them and the School.
“Educadores em Movimento – Uma Educação Itinerante para a Primeira Infância” (EeM) (Educators in Motion – An Itinerant Education for Early Childhood) has the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as main sponsor, Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language I.P. as co-financier, as promoter AIDGLOBAL, Project Manager; as co-promoter the Chibuto Vocational and Residential Center (CVRC) and as partners the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria (Polytechnic Institute of Leiria) (IPL), its scientific-pedagogical coordinator, the Center for International Studies of the University Institute of Lisbon (CEI-Iscte) – coordinator of the anthropological component by District Service for Youth, Education and Technology of Chibuto (SDJET) and District Service for Health, Women and Social Action (SDSMAS) – entities that guarantee the articulation of the project with public policies.
