SOS Schools in Mozambique

SOS Nursery School Inhambane

Activities at the SOS Nursery School were initiated on 27 May 2008. Initially, it started functioning with only 19 children from three to five years, in only one shift from 07h30hrs to 12h00hrs.  At present, the SOS Nursery School is functioning with a total of 48 children from 3 to 5 years old. In 2009 the nursery school will function for the whole day, with the addition of admission of children from the community in order to reach the maximum number of 100 children.

Partnerships with Nursery Schools of the City of Inhambane

The SOS Nursery School co-ordinator has visited the Inhambane Provincial Nursery School and the Nhapupue Nursery School, where she held talks with the respective administrators in the sense of establishing and harmonizing activities, particularly with those who are example to be followed, so as to mould the SOS Nursery School as a reference in the province.

SOS Primary School Imhambane

The SOS Primary School began its school year in February 2008.  A total of 13 teachers worked betweeen the two classes. More than 570 pupils attended the school at Inhambane.  An average of more than 90% of pupils progressed into the next class.

Unfortunately, the SOS children had a poor performance and the difficulties in environment and the learning system are contributing factors. Despite these constraints, it is expected that in the year 2009 an extensive teaching work plan to all children of the SOS Children's Village is being prepared, so as to reinforce the learning capacity.

SOS Nursery School Maputo

The SOS Nursery School has admitted 107 children or which 27 are SOS children.  From the total number of nursery school children, SOS Children has granted a 50% scholarship to one community child and a 100% scholarship to 17 community children.

In order to upgrade the service rendered to children, new mattresses and bed sheets were purchased. The improvement of the kitchen was also done, with new curtains and new cutlery. The class rooms were also refurbished. Educational toys were also upgraded. 26 new mattresses have been purchased in order to enhance the number of the existing mattresses. The aim has been to make the nursery school children have a comfortable rest after lunch.

Moreover, in order to deliver the best service to children, educators attended upgraded courses in early childhood care.

The SOS Nursery School Headteacher has participated in various meetings regarding nursery school activities. The meetings have been organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare in order for them to be aware of the services that each nursery school provides and to give more strength to the teachers’ role. They discussed various matters regarding the day-after-day activities in the nursery school and how to give a very good quality of services to the children.  The children are taught activities for intellectual, moral, social, cultural and  physical development.

SOS Primary and Secondary School Maputo

The combined SOS Primary and Secondary School opened in 1992. There are nearly 680 pupils - 560 primary and 120 secondary.

The SOS School is still the largest educational establishment in Maputo. Its reputable work has been attracting pupils over the years from the different areas of Maputo and even further afield.

Studies Directorate
•    Admission of part-time teachers (55).
•    Conduct upgraded courses for teachers.
•    Follow up of class observation.
•    Purchase of books for the Library.
•    Classes organisation/enrolments
•    Ceremony of children international day
•    Study trips/visits for grade 11 and 12 students in the following subjects: History and Biology (3 trips/visits)

The SOS School is still attracting pupils and from the community despite the distance pupils have to travel.   Towards the end of the year, the school is used to having long waiting list for pupils who are wishing to enroll to the SOS School.

The revenue collections were increased due to implementation of tighter and more reliable control system that has reduced the number of parents who were paying the monthly fees. This resulted with the school being 100% self financing.

The school has achieved the pass rate of 89% which ranks amongst the highest in Maputo. This was due to greater performance by the staff involved in the teaching process during the year despite some hindrances faced during the academic year.

The school canteen is well run and all pupils enjoy meals every day. The grounds of the school are beautifully maintained. Maintenance is supervised daily.  The SOS School Maputo, has been regarded one of the best Schools in Maputo by the Ministry of Education.

SOS Nursery School Pemba

Our SOS Nursery School has been operating a more community orientated operation. It carries out toddler programmes and baby stimulation programmes as well as pre-school activities on full day basis.  Apart from the parents who pay a symbolic fee, the nursery school offers scholarships for unprivileged children from the vicinities, as well as meals for their nutrition. It has a total capacity of 100 children which is operating fully. The quality of services we perform and the lunches that we purchase for children invites many people of the local community to enroll their children with the nursery school.  This sector works in close partnership with the SOS Primary School sending yearly about 50 children to grade one.

In attempt of helping more children in their own communities, the SOS Children's Village Pemba has continued with the so-called community nursery school (in the light of community oriented programmes) where children from different ages attend. Here, mothers participate actively in the preparation of meals, cleaning of the premises etc. The community itself has recently revamped the SOS Community Nursery School using local material.                                                    

The SOS Nursery School concentrates its activities in the following core area of work:

• Increased hours for Toddler programme, ideally every day
• Use scholarships as a tool for 3 to 5 year old children, ensuring at least two years of pre-school education for children from the community
• Prepare holiday programmes for children from the SOS Children's Village
• Offer holiday programme
•  for outside children of the community
• Exchange with other nursery schools in the community

SOS Primary and Secondary School Pemba

The combined SOS Primary and Secondary School opened in 2001. There are over 2000 pupils - 1100 primary and 900 secondary.

The SOS School is run by the government. Up to the end of the year, our school had a total of 2.123 pupils studying in two-shifts. The average pass rate was 74.4%.  Most of the students are from the poor community, whose parents are not able to pay any school fees.

A number of events have been organised in the course of the year to add variety to school life.   In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the school is also offering sex education with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention. To ensure that the message is put across effectively, the teaching is not only based in the classroom but also includes cultural and sports activities (theatre, dance, music, etc.).

The annual growth of pupils witnesses the level of quality of tuition that SOS School has been giving to them. It can be noted that, there is a miscellany of students, some coming from the city (even if they have to walk more than 3 kilometres to reach school) and others from the SOS Children's Village's neighbouring communities; this last group composes the majority. The wide experience and effort undertaken by the school headmaster and the teachers during their work create conditions for our school to offer to its pupils a teaching of high quality, a situation that makes it possible for the school to have high pass rates and turns it into a unique school.

The school has merited a great support from the local government and the pupils’ parents.  We work closely with the school where our children frequent to avoid discrimination of children from the SOS Children's Village.

SOS Nursery School Téte 

The SOS Nursery School has been operating more community oriented programmes. It carries out toddler programmes and baby stimulation programmes as well as pre-school activities on a full day basis.  Apart from the parents who pay a symbolic fee, the nursery school offers scholarships for unprivileged children from the vicinities, as well as meals for their nutrition.

In an attempt at helping more children in their own communities, the SOS Children's Village has continued with the so-called community nursery school (in the light of community oriented programmes) where children from different ages attend.  Here, mothers participate actively in the preparation of meals, cleaning of the premises etc.  The community itself has recently revamped the SOS Community Nursery School using local materials.  The nursery school needs to be revamped and to purchase new materials and playing equipment for the children.

SOS Primary and Secondary School Téte

The combined SOS Primary and Secondary School opened in 1987. There are over 1600 pupils - 1100 primary and 500 secondary. As well as regular classes, evening lessons are provided in both the primary and the secondary schools. 

Currently the school is over crowded and under resourced.  Pupils do not have enough desks in their classrooms and the ratio of classroom to students is on average 1 to 70.  The school runs three shifts (Primary, Secondary and adult education).  Primary classes run in the morning, secondary in the afternoon and adult education in the evening.  This school is run as a government school and all teachers are government employees.

There are 148 children from SOS, learning at the SOS Primary and Secondary School.  At the SOS Primary School there are 97 children (62 boys) and (35 girls) and 51 children learning at the Secondary School (20 boys) and (31 girls).  The children from SOS, had a good pass rate of 87%.

The ministry of education has reduced their funds to run the school so there is a lack of maintenance.  As the school is run on a three-shift system it is now overcrowded and it is very difficult to control discipline.  Even the septic tanks were not constructed to attend to so many pupils, so on a weekly basis they have to be pumped, and the expenses covered by the SOS Children's Village.

We have already discussed with the Ministry of Education about solving the issues above and reduce the number of pupils. We will continue discussing until we have the problem solved.

The school in collaboration with the Mozambique Ministry of Health is still offering sex education with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention. To ensure that the message is put across effectively, the teaching is not only based in the classroom but also includes cultural and sports activities (theatre, dance, music, etc.).