Highlights
Teacher attendance is a prerequisite for universal learning in developing countries. Over the past decades, however, studies from across the developing world have revealed high rates of teacher absenteeism. Enhancing teachers’ presence in the classroom and ensuring that class time is spent teaching can contribute significantly to the productivity and inclusive prosperity of a country. The Time to Teach study collates and strengthens the evidence base on primary school teacher absenteeism in Mozambique. It examines how factors affecting teacher attendance vary across school locations and types, gender of teacher, and other teacher characteristics. Despite high levels of teacher absenteeism, the study shows that progress is being made, that teachers are generally committed and that what is needed is continued education system strengthening.