This paper analyzes the extent to which "autonomous learning," identified as one of the key competencies to be fostered in Mozambique’s primary education, is promoted through video observations of mathematics lessons in two public primary schools. In constructing the framework for lesson observations, the theory of "self-regulated learning" was referenced as a concrete process of autonomous learning. The analysis was conducted from the perspectives of external interventions (teacher scaffolding) and internal development (the degree of students' self-regulated learning), based on transcripts of interactions between teachers and students during the lessons. The findings suggest that, in the two observed lessons, teacher scaffolding appeared to have contributed to achieving a part of lesson objectives, particularly in terms of acquiring scientific knowledge (cognitive skills). However, much of teacher’s instruction was directed at the entire class, and it became evident that individual students were not fully utilizing the teacher’s guidance to deepen their self-regulated learning. To build a foundation for autonomous learning, it is crucial for teachers to not only pose questions to the entire class but also engage in scaffolding that activates individual students’ thinking (e.g., by encouraging students to verbalize their thought processes or facilitating such verbalization), thereby helping them internalize the learning content.