Economist, former Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Finance, Luísa Diogo, questions the competence of the current leadership of the Ministry of Education and Human Development (MINEDH) about the errors in elementary school textbooks.

"This is about leadership. You can't understand those mistakes," the Frelimo party member said in an interview with Savana, having said, "I work with Havard University [United States], I teach leadership to ministers all over the world."

She explained that in order to avoid such situations that reveal incompetence, matters must be dealt with on several levels, as is the case with herself as Minister of Planning and Finance.

"I remember that when I was Minister of Planning and Finance, the State Budget, after being promulgated by the President of the Republic went to publication in the Boletim da República (BR). However, the first proof of the BR, before going out for public consumption, went to my office for the last check. As minister, I sent it to the budget director, who checked it, and it in turn went down to the head of the department. After they had checked and corrected it, it would go back to my office for the final check. This is to test how seriously the checks were done. It is a matter of leadership control. It's not done every day, but the most important thing for a leader is that his subordinates know that the hierarchical superior has control of the processes," he explained.

He also recalled that at the time, despite being in charge of the Ministry of Planning and Finance, he accompanied the process of textbook production, through the procurement that its printing was done abroad (India) by imposition of the donor. "But as the government of Mozambique we had control of the whole process of producing the schoolbook.

For Diogo it is inconceivable that MINEDH has allowed such "shame" and, with all the scandal witnessed, the holder of the portfolio, Carmelita Namashulua, should make her position available, leaving the decision to the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi.

"The other depends on the person who is directing. I'm not referring to the President of the Republic, but how you feel as a Minister. I remember Doctor Brazão Mazula, when he had a conflict at Eduardo Mondlane University because of inclusion, he asked to leave, and at the time PR Chissano asked why was he asking to leave?"

"There are countries in which in order for you to continue to work well and at ease you seek the reaffirmation of trust. I'm saying that normally in countries where there is a culture of accountability, professional pride and merit, you have to start feeling that merit is no longer being recognized. I need to look for the reaffirmation of trust. It was to go there and say, "Your Excellency, it happened, I know I'm not involved, but it's my sector and I answer for it, feel free". Then the head of state decides what he's going to do. Nobody is asking anybody to leave."