Education in Timor-Leste

 Jude de Waal is a VSA volunteer on assignment as a ECE (Early Childhood Education) Teacher trainer with UNICEF Timor-Leste. She recently visited Ermera and Viqueque districts for the first time since she arrived in April. The goal of the trip was to get to know the field officers and the facilitators of the community pre-schools in both municipalities and familiar with the context.

Challenges in Timor-Leste include

• Only 20 percent of preschool-aged children in Timor-Leste are enrolled in school.
  • Nearly 37 percent of rural youth  (15-24) are illiterate, compared to just six percent in urban areas.
  • Approximately 70 percent of grade one students don’t meet basic learning outcomes.
  • 66 percent of basic education schools do not have functioning toilets. 
  • 40 percent of basic education schools do not have drinking water. 

UNICEF supports the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports along with partners like us to develop key learning and teaching policies, standards and monitoring systems, and to strengthen planning and delivery of quality education services in an equitable manner.