Teacher Workload and Teaching Quality in Rural Primary Schools in Mozambique: A Qualitative Study in Lichinga District

Teacher workload is an important challenge in education systems affected by shortages of human resources, unequal teacher distribution, and limited institutional resources. These challenges may be particularly significant in rural schools, where teachers frequently perform multiple instructional and administrative responsibilities. In Mozambique, disparities in educational resources between urban and rural areas remain an important concern for educational quality. This study aimed to analyze the effects of teacher workload on teaching quality in two rural primary schools in Lichinga District, Niassa Province, Mozambique. The study employed a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive research design. Data were collected in 2026 through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis. The study involved six participants, comprising four primary school teachers and two school administrators. The schools and participants were selected according to predefined eligibility criteria and random selection procedures. Ethical procedures included voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, and the right to withdraw from the study without consequences. Data were analyzed thematically following the principles of thematic analysis. The findings indicate that teachers experienced extended working hours, with participants reporting approximately 10 to 12 hours of work per day during periods of increased workload. The reported workload was associated with physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced time for lesson preparation, limited individualized feedback to learners, and reduced opportunities for pedagogical innovation. Teacher shortages and the unequal distribution of responsibilities were identified as important institutional factors contributing to workload pressure. The findings further suggest that the effects of workload should not be understood exclusively as individual problems, but also as consequences of organizational and structural conditions affecting rural schools. The study concludes that excessive teacher workload can negatively affect teaching quality by reducing teachers' time and capacity for preparation, classroom interaction, assessment, and pedagogical innovation. The study recommends strengthening teacher recruitment and deployment, improving the equitable distribution of teachers, reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, and increasing institutional support for rural schools.