The PQG approved today predicts an average growth rate of 5.5%, but the accounts were made before the covid-19 respiratory disease pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Adriano Maleiane, has already revised the forecast for economic growth for this year: instead of 4.8% it now points to 2.2% in a pessimistic scenario and 3.8% in an optimistic scenario , so the five-year governance plan could change.
In the document approved today, the Government of the Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo) pledges to channel 20% of the State Budget (OE) to the area of education, with a view to expanding the school network and improving the quality of education.
For the health area, 15% of the OE is promised, to continue expanding the health network and improving the quality of health services.
Frelimo made it possible to implement the PQG, with 173 votes in favor, arguing that it points to effective ways to improve the country’s economic and social situation.
“The program ensures the reduction of poverty and social inequalities and promotes an environment favorable to public and private investment for sustainable economic growth,” said Abdul Gafur Issufo, a Frelimo deputy, who read the vote from his bench.
Critics
For its part, the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), which rejected the PQG, with 54 votes, defended that the document results from fraudulent elections in the universal suffrage of October last year, won by Frelimo.
“This PQG was not endorsed by Mozambicans and is the result of the biggest electoral fraud in the history of Mozambique,” said Maria Angelina Dique, in reading Renamo’s explanation of vote.
For the main opposition party, the program does not solve dramas such as chronic malnutrition, not indicating how to get 43% of children under five out of this situation.
The Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the third party, considered the document a “catastrophe” that will keep Mozambique as one of the poorest countries in the world.
“There is nothing concrete and feasible in this PQG to take the country out of the dire situation it finds itself in,” said Fernando Bismarque.
The PQG foresees until 2024 the training and recruitment of 265 specialist doctors, going to 935 professionals, and hiring about 48 thousand teachers for the entire National Education System, against about 36 thousand hired in the period 2015-2019.
The construction of 3,355 classrooms for primary education is expected to benefit approximately 334,000 children, the construction of 2,000 classrooms for secondary education, benefiting 220,000 students, and the purchase of 260,875 new school desks to benefit about a million students across the country.
