DILI, 09 may 2023 (TATOLI) – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) provided four types of school materials to the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MEJD), aiming to support teaching and learning for preschools.
UNICEF Timor-Leste’s Deputy National Representative, Ainhoa Jaureguibeitia, said that preschool education has always been an important institution, where children acquire a strong academic base and where their capacity for social interaction develops.
The four types of materials consist of 13,420 books with different titles, 14 types of teaching materials, as well as alphabets and numbers that are directly given to the Minister of Youth Education and Sports and will be distributed to preschools at the municipal level.
“UNICEF is pleased to extend this reading and learning material support to 101 community preschools in the Municipalities of Viqueque and Ermera and to 71 Basic Education schools that are developing their programs for school preparation”, UNICEF Timor-Leste Deputy National Representative Ainhoa Jaureguibeitia said in her remarks, in Caicoli, this Tuesday
The National Director of Pre-School Education, Tomás Pereira, said the support was provided by UNICEF in response to questions from the Ministry of Education.
“UNICEF purchased US$280,000 worth of materials, out of a total amount of US$150,000 used for procurement of materials for community preschools and US$130,000 for school preparatory programs,” said Tomás Pereira
The schools that will receive support include, Liquiça, Manatutu, Lautém, Viqueque, Ainaro, Covalima, and RAIOA.
So far, since 2015, UNICEF has supported community-based preschools in Ermera and Viqueque, reaching 2,982 children with quality preschool services.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges
