Every day, 15 minutes before classes begin, students meet around the flagpole to raise the flag and sing the national hymn.

It is said that the green of the flag represents the riches of the soil. Black is for the African continent. Yellow represents mineral riches. White, the long-won peace. Red stands for the country’s struggle for independence. And the yellow star for the solidarity of its people. A book for education; a hoe for agriculture; and a gun as determination to protect the country's freedom.

The students line up single file by class and face a row of teachers. They sing:

In the memory of Africa and the world (Na memória de África e do Mundo)
Beautiful homeland for which they dared to fight (Pátria bela dos que ousaram lutar)
Mozambique, your name is liberty (Moçambique o teu nome é liberdade)
The June sun will always shine (O sol de Junho para sempre brilhará).

Mozambique, our glorious land (Moçambique, nossa terra gloriosa)
Stone by stone, building the new day (Pedra a pedra construindo o novo dia)
Millions of arms, only one force (Milhões de braços, uma só forca)
O, beloved homeland, we will overcome (Ó pátria amada vamos vencer).

People united from Rovuma to Maputo (Povo unido do Rovuma ao Maputo)
Harvest the fruits of combat for peace (Colhe os frutos do combate pela paz)
Grow the dream waving in the flag (Cresce o sonho ondulado na bandeira)
And go on cultivating in the certainty of tomorrow (E vai lavrando na certeza do amanhã).

Flowers blooming from the ground from your sweat (Flores brotando do chão do teu suor)
For the mountains, for the rivers, for the sea (Pelos montes, pelos rios, pelo mar)
We swear by you, O, Mozambique (Nós juramos por ti, ó Moçambique)
No tyrant will ever enslave us (Nenhum tirano nos irá escravizar).