DILI, 07 february 2023 (TATOLI) – Director of Infrastructure, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) Agustinho Soares, said that the Government through the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS) will build another four CAFE schools in Timor – Leste by 2023.
“We will construct another 4 new CAFE schools in 4 Municipalities such as Lautem, Aileu, Ainaro, and Vikeke in 2023.,”Director of Infrastructure of MoEYS Agustinho Soares, when interviewed by TATOLI in his office in Vilaverde Dili.
According to Director, the construction budget is worth 3 million from the Secretariat Management Project of Infrastructure.
So far Timor – Leste already has nine Portuguese Reference Schools, CAFE the School for Learning, and Teacher Training Centers in nine municipalities Dili, Baucau, Manufahi, Suai, Maliana, Oekuse, Manatuto, Ermera, and Likisa.
According to Soares, the purpose of building the CAFE project is to provide quality public education using the Portuguese language for all subjects; Provide pre-service training in Portuguese to recent university graduates and new teachers; Provide training and skill-building for teachers and administrators of local public schools.”
“So These schools serve more than 7,000 students, less than 3% of all public-school students of the same grades,” he said.
The CAFE schools are Timor-Leste public schools, expected to teach the national curriculum, but use Portuguese as the language of instruction in all levels and grades.
Other preschool and primary schools now use Tetum as the first language of literacy and primary language of instruction in the earliest years, gradually increasing the amount of Portuguese until it is the primary language of instruction by the end of grade 6.
“Meanwhile, the CAFE Project employed 129 teachers from Portugal (as both teachers and administrators), 107 Timorese teachers, and 62 Timorese teachers-in-training,” he added.
The project has grown each year, adding new grade levels toward the final goal of each school including preschool, and high school classes Starting in 2019, the program will for the first time, add some secondary-level classes.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B.
