The Ministry of Education and Human Development said Friday that it will remove content on "masturbation and sexual orientation" from the 7th grade Natural Sciences textbook of the current curriculum in Mozambique, after a wave of indignation that the matter generated in society.

"For the current school year, we have recommended to schools not to address that topic and we have already worked with the publisher for the removal of that page" that addresses the subject, said Ismael Nheze, director-general of the National Institute of School Development (INDE) in the Ministry of Education and Human Development.

The official assured that the subject will be completely removed from the 7th grade Natural Science textbook in the 2023 school year, and will be omitted by teachers in lessons this school year.

"This book, next year, is not here, because we are going to introduce the new 7th grade and we will have a new book," the official emphasized.

The book has been around since 2004 and has always been taught, because it reflects the view that the Ministry of Education and Human Development has on "sexuality".

Ismael Nheze said that the education authorities will seek "consensus" on the issue, defending, however, the importance of students discussing sexuality in all its dimensions.