DILI, 08 February 2023 (TATOLI)—UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) through the History and Peace Education Project with CNC (Centro Nacional Chega) held a workshop on the Study Network of History Teachers in Timor-Leste.
The Workshop was attended by 100 history teachers from the two municipalities of Atauro and Dili.
Timor-Leste National Commission Coordinator for Unesco, Francisco Barreto said the activity being carried out today was a CNC initiative in collaboration with UNESCO Jakarta and financed by KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) with full support from the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS).
“Today there are 100 teachers from 50 schools composed of Elementary Schools, Senior High Schools, and Vocational Technical Schools in Dili and Atauro Municipalities who have been selected by MEJD to join Network Study for history teachers,” explained Francisco Barreto at CNC Balide, Wednesday This.
According to Barreto, education about history plays an important role in advancing social cohesion and people’s trust, at the local and national levels, to contribute positively to promoting reconciliation conflicts and peace.
The presence of teachers is also very important because most of them have their challenges. Achieving a quality education in history requires many opportunities to increase capacity through training and workshops from experts.
CNC Executive Director, Hugo Fernandes said that this workshop was the second time for the history teacher study network, the first time was held in July 2022 and presented teachers from 26 schools across the territory intending to exchange experiences about the process of teaching history in their respective schools as well as modules used.
“Our data shows that there are more than 700 teachers who will be given the same training in the future and we will listen to their experiences too,” he said.
The Director General of MEJD, Raimundo José Neto asked all participating teachers to become provisions for them to teach students because so far MEJD does not have a special module for the history of Timor-Leste that is recognized by the Government.
CNC Executive Director, Hugo Fernandes said that this second workshop of the history teacher study network, the first time was held in July 2022 and presented teachers from 26 schools across the territory intending to exchange experiences about the process of teaching history in their respective schools as well as modules used.
Currently, MEJD will revise the curriculum to create teaching modules. MEJD will also provide training for three separate centers which will be taken by 20 teachers from each municipality such as Lospalos, Baucau, Viqueque, and Manatuto, as well as Covalima, Aileu, Manufahi, as well as Ermera, Liquiça, and Bobonaro.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.