DILI, 23 february 2024 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Education has allocated US$1.5 million for the purchase of more than 9,000 sets of school desks and chairs to be distributed to schools across the country.
The National Director of Infrastructure at the Ministry of Education, Hélio Lopes, said that the school desks and chairs are currently in storage at the Ministry of Education and will soon be distributed to schools across Timor-Leste.
“We have received a list of more than 200 schools requesting school desks and chairs. So these desks and chairs will be distributed to these schools,” Lopes told TATOLI.
He said that in addition to the 9,000 sets of desks and chairs, the Ministry of Education had already distributed more than 28,000 sets of desks and chairs to many schools in 2022.
“In 2022, we distributed more than 28,000 sets of desks and chairs, but it’s still not enough,” explained Lopes.
He said that many schools in Timor-Leste still lack facilities, especially desks and chairs, which are considered a big burden for students’ learning process.
Manuel Amaral, principal of the 28 de Novembro Vocational Technical School in Dili, said that his school still lacks tables and chairs.
“Most of our tables and chairs are broken and we desperately need new ones to facilitate teaching and learning activities at this school. We are appealing to the Ministry of Education to provide some new tables and chairs,” he said.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Filomeno Martins
