SPTL: Government Needs to Invest in Vocational Education

The president of the Teachers Syndicate of Timor-Leste (SPTL), Francisco da Costa Fernandes urges the new VIII Constitutional Government to strongly invest in Technical Vocational Schools (TVS) given they will lead to greater employment in Timor-Leste.

“We urge the VIII government to invest in technical vocational schools because so far the government has given them enough attention,” he said in Dili.

He said technical vocational schools will help students create their own job opportunities and access the labour market with skills and as such government should invest in this area. He added that in technical vocational schools, they teach subjects including multimedia but the schools lack computers so students are unable to acquire the knowledge they need.

“For instance, at the General Secondary School 28 de Novembro that was transformed into a Technical Vocational School but until now they do not have facilities where students can practice including a laboratory and they also lack the equipment,” he said.

He added the problem extends to general secondary schools and that the government must at least give books to teachers they can use for teaching.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ministry of Education (ME), Antoninho Pires said the ministry has been using the budget allocated but it is not enough to solve all problems. He added there are many issues to be resolved pending and that will be in the program of the incoming government to try address these issues.

“It is on the plan to be addressed, but the ministry cannot do anything without a budget,” he said.

He hopes the new government will function well so the budget can be allocated to the Ministry of Education and the problem can be resolved soon.