Timor Leste

Timor Leste / East Timor became an independent nation on 20th May 2002.

Its journey to nationhood has been wrought with tragedy.

Timor-Leste is a very poor country. Its primary economic base is agriculture, very much at a subsistence level. Its one million people generally are identified as Christians, mainly Catholic. They speak a range of dialects based on Tétum, some Indonesian and English. Portuguese is the official language.

Educational Facts

1. •  Literacy levels are rated at 43%
   

2. •  One in four Timorese children do not attend primary school.
   

3. •  Secondary Colleges are gradually being established.
   

4. •  Many of the 7,825 teachers currently employed, including the volunteer teachers, have had
   

5.   only minimal training and most have no formal teaching qualifications.
   

6. •  60% of the population of Timor-Leste is under 18 years
   

7. •  45% of young urban men are unemployed.
   

8. •  Conditions of the schools vary with most having poor quality buildings and very limited
   

9.   educational resources.
   

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  The Australian Government has just released its Australia-Timor-Leste Country  Strategy 2009-2014. it  

  provides a clear account as to current Timor-Leste conditions and the manner in which Australia will support it.

  Click to open:

Aust Timor-Leste Country Strategy 2009-2014.pdf

 

  The Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers and Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-

  Leste, Agno Pereira recently released this document which briefly outlines some recent actions to improve the

  quality of education in Timor Leste. Small steps have been taken but the challenges are huge.

  Government of Timor-Leste launches new National Academic Structure.pdf

Viqueque

The district, with a population of 70,000 is located on the South-Eastern seaboard of East Timor (approximately 185 km from Dili). It comprises the 5 sub-districts of Viqueque, Lacluta, Ossu, Uatolari and Uato Carabau. There are 100 schools in the whole district.

Viqueque is typical of most districts but is especially disadvantaged by its distance from the Capital. It is a day’s journey from the capital, Dili to Viqueque along the coast to Baucau and across the beautiful mountainous range that separates the north and south.