DILI, 14 april 2022 (TATOLI) – The Association of Timorese students in China (ATSC) represented the Timorese scholarship in China requested the Government through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture (MHESC) to support for continuing study process in China.
“We are constantly fighting for our rights. Therefore, we ask the Government for help to support us in returning to China for continuing studies,” said the Chair of the ATSC, Esmeraldito Ferreira to Tatoli at Letefoho Coffee, Praia dos Coquiros on this wednesday.
Currently, ATSC has registered 128 students who are actively studying in China, of which 90% are scholarship recipients and the rest is self-financing, but this figure is expected to exceed due to the large number of students who have not joined.
The association previously tried to coordinate with the Chinese Embassy in Timor-Leste on recommending the opportunity to return Timorese students to China for continuing studies.
Thus, the Chinese Embassy has provided opportunities for 17 students for the first phase and paved the way for them to return; however, the mobilization process requires support from the Timor-Leste’s Government.
In responding to regard issue, ATSC also has introduced this issue to the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture (MHESC), the Ministry of Finance (MF), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEK) but until now there no definite answer has been given.
“We have conveyed this to the government to be able to provide financially. It is ensuring the students go back to China,” he said.
He hopes that the government will consider the requirement. It is considered that the scholarships received by the students are the result of bilateral cooperation between the two Governments of China and Timor-Leste that is focused on developing human resources and contributing to the country’s development.
“We are not all children of rich people, we went there because of scholarships and we asked for this because previously the Government itself had promised us this. No later than september this year because that month is the new semester,” Esmeraldito Ferreira said.
Esmeraldito Ferreira studied General Medicine at the University of Funda in 2017 and returned to Timor-Leste in 2020 to renew his Passport and extend his Visa.
“We had three main reasons for returning to Timor-Leste – expired visas and passports, long summer holidays, and the health crisis caused by COVID-19 in Wuhan province and other cities in China. That’s why we had to go back,” he said.
In addition, according to Esmeraldito, all students who returned from China had continued the online lecture process but there were some courses that could not be taken because in-person attendance was required in order to take part in the practice.
The online lecture process that is carried out is also ineffective due to the condition of Timor-Leste’s internet network which is always weak. Some students also do not have sufficient funds to facilitate online lectures because most of them are scholarship recipients.
“We can take classes online, but it’s just a theory, but practical classes require the presence of students, especially medical and engineering students. We have to come back to participate in class and do real practice,” he added.
On the other hand, the deputy of the Timorese Democratic Union bench, Isabel Maria Ximenes, asked the MESCC to help the Timorese scholarship holders to return to China.
“Several Chinese universities have already resumed their normal learning. I therefore ask the relevant ministry to pay attention to the concerns of our students”, said the deputy, in the National Parliament.
The parliamentarian also stressed that these students had already delivered their requests to the MESCC in January, adding that 17 scholarship holders have to return to China to finish their studies later this year.
Deputy Luís Roberto from Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasionál Timor Oan stressed that the Government should use the COVID-19 Fund to resolve the concerns in question.
Responding to the deputies’ questions, the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Merício Juvinal dos Reis ‘Akara’, said that the ministry had already sent a proposal to the COVID-19 Fund team.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá/Domingos Piedade Freitas
Editor: Rafy Belo
