Upskilling in Mozambique

Mozambique has no single nationwide upskilling system or uniform training offer. Relevant pathways include Educação Profissional and Formação Profissional, which provide technical and occupational skills; formação contínua for continuing workplace development; reconversão for changing occupational direction; and aperfeiçoamento profissional for improving existing skills. Adult literacy and adult primary education can provide access to further learning for people who have not completed primary education, but they are not themselves the main vocational upskilling pathway. The National Professional Qualifications Catalogue, known as CNQP, organizes qualifications and modules across 14 fields, including administration and management, agriculture, construction, health and social services, information and communication technology, hospitality and tourism, and extractive industries. An accredited IEP, meaning a training institution recognized under ANEP quality requirements, may offer a complete CNQP qualification with an official vocational certificate at Level 2, 3, 4 or 5, or an independent module. Independent modules can be taken, assessed and used separately. The beta qualification portal lists 206 registered qualifications, but availability depends on the institution and area. IFPELAC offers public Formação Profissional through training centres and mobile units, including initial training, continuing training, occupational conversion and skills validation. Published network figures vary by source and program version: an official ANEP page identifies 11 provincial delegations, 18 centres and 20 mobile units, while an MJD portal lists 25 centres and 32 mobile units and sets a target of 83,060 trainees for 2025–2029. This difference means that a current local offer should be confirmed directly. INE recorded 19,075 participants in INEFP centres in 2024, compared with 22,171 in 2023, showing that reach can change from year to year. Employers, private providers, NGOs and labour-market programs also supply short courses and non-formal learning. The Acredita Emprega program in 2026 targets Mozambican citizens aged 18 to 35 who live in a supported district and are unemployed, underemployed or working informally or independently, with at least 5th-class education. Where the program applies, support can include a training scholarship, a consumption allowance and transport assistance. A 100,000 Mt grant applies only through a separate selection process for successful female participants, not automatically to every trainee. Formal access requirements and progression follow the selected CNQP qualification or module. Providers may require prior education, documents, attendance and successful assessment. Skills acquired through work experience or other non-formal learning can be assessed through Recognition of Acquired Competencies, or RCA, using the relevant SRCA or CRCA process. RCA can lead to validation and certification of demonstrated competencies, but it does not automatically make every previous activity equivalent to a formal qualification. Self-directed learning remains a useful source of skills, while formal recognition requires an assessment process. There is no nationwide fee schedule or general fee exemption established in the available research. Course fees, learning materials, assessment, transport and other costs vary by provider and program, and funding may be available through a specific scheme. Training may last a short or medium period; the duration depends on the qualification, module, provider and schedule. Some CNQP specifications last about one year, with 40 weeks and 40 hours per week, but that example does not set a national duration for all upskilling. The provider, accreditation status, exact qualification or module, assessment method, total cost and local delivery location should be checked before enrolment.