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This qualitative study investigates the gap between curricular intentions, teacher perspectives, and practices in a primary school bilingual program in central Mozambique. It aims to provide new data regarding bilingual education program implementation in an understudied and underrepresented country in the literature. Drawing on original interview and participant-observation data, collected over nine months in central Mozambique, this study reports on how these teachers’ language perspectives impact practices, which in turn reaffirm/reject curricular mandates. Key findings indicate that despite awareness of bilingual benefits in student involvement, teachers transition early to Portuguese, preferring to teach classes in the official language to prepare students for the national exam. This preference also stems from limited mother-tongue resources, teacher training, and language proficiency. Study findings reveal a disconnect between policy and implemented practices – influenced by teachers’ beliefs towards Portuguese and local languages and by structural and classroom priorities.
