DILI, 17 december 2024 (TATOLI) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today handed over Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment valued at US$ 198,430 to the Ministry of Education, in support of current efforts to strengthen the use of ICT in the teaching and learning processes in Timor-Leste.
The donation, which is set to contribute to enhancing learning outcomes of students in the country, includes 32 laptops, 31 smart televisions, 300 tablets, 30 generators and 32 projectors. These will be distributed to 30 schools from Ainaro, Ermera and Liquica, benefiting up to 17,469 students, 90 out-of-school adolescents and 659 teachers. In addition, students with disabilities will also be trained in the use of ICT equipment such as braille machines.
“The Ministry of Education appreciates this kind gesture of various ICT equipment, which are earmarked for the enhancement of digital teaching and learning in Timor-Leste. Introducing children and teachers, including those in rural areas, to the many possibilities of digital learning, will have a positive impact on the overall academic performance and social development of every student, regardless of where they live,” said Dulce de Jesus Soares, Minister of Education.
In 2021, the COVID-19 outbreak, which resulted in the closure of schools as a measure to contain the spread of the virus, resulted in the Ministry of Education introducing different digital platforms to support teaching and learning continuity.
The Eskola Ba Uma – “School Goes Home” platform, is one such platforms developed during COVID-19 pandemic, and which demonstrated the vast potential of digital platforms to effectively deliver teaching and learning materials to teachers and the students. The platforms made use of television and radio programmes, electronic books, the Learning Passport platform to ensure learning continuity at home.
However, this shift to remote learning exposed huge digital divides within Timor-Leste as many children including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, were left out of learning process. Within many of the rural areas, access to ICT gadgets including mobile phones and computers, is still limited. In addition, rural areas in Timor-Leste do not always have reliable internet connectivity and electricity.
This ICT equipment which has been handed over to the Ministry of Education, will help to address this uneven pace of ICT introduction in the education system in Timor-Leste.
“We are living in digital age, where students’ learning and skills development is easily enhanced through digital platforms and applications. Across the world, technologies are helping to shift student’s learning experiences, through allowing students to learning from wherever they are, giving them easier access to learning resources, and giving them opportunities to connect with their peers from around the world,” said Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Representative. “UNICEF is happy to be contributing to efforts to strengthen the education system and create new opportunities for children to grow and succeed.”
In addition to the ICT equipment, selected schools will also receive internet data to improve connectivity, while teachers at the benefitting schools will have capacity building workshops to help them build their skills and competencies to use and teach using these devices.
Since August 2024, UNICEF, together with INFORDEPE have conducted practical workshops reaching 154 teachers from the 10 out of 30 target schools. These teachers will in turn provide training to their peers at their schools as well as introduce this critical skill to their students.
This equipment has been purchased through the generous support of the UNICEF France National Committee, VINCI Energies and Wemade Co Ltd.
Journalist: Jose Belarmino de Sa
Editor: Filomeno Martins