COUNTRY PLAN

(Timor-Leste)

Writing a National Report : Documenting successful policies and practices for

lifelong learning in Timor-Leste

1. Country Name: Timor-Leste

2. Responsible Institution: National Directorate for Recurrent Education (Non-Formal
Education), Ministry of Education
3. Contact Persons name and email address:
Mr. Miguel Godinho Martins, National Director, National Directorate for Recurrent
Education, Ministry of Education
Mobile Phone Number: (+) 62-77-304-367
Email address: miguel.godinho@moe.gov.tl
4. Provisional title of report: Policies and Practices for Lifelong Learning Focusing on
the Policy Implementation of the National Equivalency Education Programme
(Equivalent to Basic Education) in Timor-Leste
5. Categories of successful lifelong learning practices:
The research initiative to be carried out in Timor-Leste will look only into two
categories of successful lifelong learning practices as its specific scope. It will look
into the systems of lifelong learning in the area of recognition, validation and
accreditation of non-formal and informal learning. The other one is in the sites of
lifelong learning looking into the area of community-based learning places and
centres. Only two of the categories have been chosen to highlight successful
policies and practices and in relation to policy implementation of the national
equivalency programme.

PURPOSES OF LIFELONG LEARNING

Gender equality and womens empowerment through lifelong learning
Poverty reduction
Teachers and facilitators continuing professional development
Sustainable development through lifelong learning
SYSTEMS OF LIFELONG LEARNING
Financing for lifelong learning

Measures to address low participation and exclusion in lifelong learning

Linking different sectors (e.g. Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Labor) for lifelong
learning
Collaborations with private and social partners
Multiple and flexible learning pathways for children and adolescents
Recognition, validation and accreditation of non-formal and informal learning
Other approaches linking different forms of learning
Monitoring and evaluating lifelong learning policies and strategies
Research for lifelong learning (e.g. impact assessment)
SITES OF LIFELONG LEARNING
Learning and education practices bridging different sites for lifelong learning (e.g.
schools, higher education, workplaces, libraries, museums, tourist sites)
Community-based learning places and centres
Building learning environments in families, communities, cities and regions
Using distance and ICT-based lifelong learning strategies

6. Government polices and legislation:

The focus of the research is on policy implementation of the national equivalency
programme in Timor-Leste therefore the policy referred here is the recently
approved Decree Law on National Equivalency Programme. The specific title of the
decree-law is the Decree Law Approving the Curriculum of the National Equivalence
Programme for Basic Education.
This Decree Law has just been approved by the Council of Ministers of the
Government of Timor-Leste last April 26, 2016 which was prepared by the Ministry
of Education through its National Directorate for Recurrent Education. The proposed
decree-law was developed to provide legal basis for the implementation of the
national equivalency programme in the country as implemented by the National
Directorate for Recurrent Education of the Ministry of Education which is big
milestone in equivalency programme implementation.
It has been several years that the national equivalency programme has been
implemented but without clear legal and political basis. After the implementation of
the level 1 equivalency programme and the piloting of the level II equivalency
programme, the Ministry of Education through its National Directorate for Recurrent
Education initiated to develop a draft decree-law and sought the approval of the
Ministry of Education through the Minister of Education who presented the decreelaw to the Council of Ministers and was eventually approved. The development of
the decree-law started last year 2015.
7. Levels of education covered in the teaching-learning content of chosen
successful practice(s):

The focus of the national equivalency programme in Timor-Leste providing basic

education opportunities to youths and adults who have dropped out from school or
have not been able to access education in the basic education level ( 9 years basic
education). In the Timor-Leste context, the basic education is primary level up to
pre-secondary level or elementary education until junior high school.
Current terms usage in basic education in the country is by cycles. Basic education
means from cycle 1 & 2 (primary education) until cycle 3 (pre-secondary education).
8. Age group and specific characteristics of learners in the chosen
successful practice(s):
In the implementation of the Level I equivalency programme in Timor-Leste, recent
data and information gathered from the need and demand analysis study conducted
by the National Directorate for Recurrent Education of the Ministry of Education
through the Second Chance Education Project supported by World Bank showed the
following:

Most of the learners are more than 20 years old and are already married
61.7% of their job is in agriculture
82.8% of them have no vehicles
Most of their motivation in joining equivalency programme is to improve their
economic condition
More than 90% of them live in rural areas
More than 71% of learning locations are in the teacher's house and others are
in village halls or school buildings

These information are also assumingly applicable or similar with the level II equivalency
programme in terms of the ages of the participants, their jobs, motivations and locations
of where they mostly live.
9. Activities planned for writing a national report:
The activities that will be undertaken in writing the national report would be:
Data collection and gathering
a. desk review/review of reports
b. filed visits/data collection
c. interviews /informal discussions
d. consultation meetings
Writing of the working paper/national report

Presentation of the draft working paper/national report thru a national

consultation
Revising the working paper/national report
Submission of the national report to SEAMEO-CELL

10. Budget:
Financial support is not required from SEAMEO CELLL
X Financial support is requested from SEAMEO CELLL
This country plan requires the financial support of SEAMEO-CELL for which the details
of the budget are in the below table. Funding the activities of the research initiative as
outlined in this country plan is necessary as the nominated Focal Point in this case, the
National Directorate for Recurrent Education and the Ministry of Education in fact, do
not have available funds or discretionary funds at the moment to support and provide for
the implementation of the planned research activities. Thus, it is the intention of this plan
to request for financial support from SEAMEO-CELL based from the budget proposed. A
total amount of Four Thousand Nine hundred Seventy Five US Dollars (U$4,975.00) is
being proposed wit the details.
No.

Budget Item

Unit Cost

Meeting with ad hoc working committee

for the preparation planning and
implementation of activities (focal pointsmonthly for 3 months )- at least 6
meetings
-snacks/refreshments (8 persons)
Field visits for data collection (FGDs and
interviews)- 1 team of 5 persons
including driver
-accommodation/per diem
-supplies
-fuel/transpiration
note: visits to rural/remote areas/coastal
areas/ major city/urban ( at least a total
of 6 visits for 2 days each visit)
Consultation meeting with stakeholders
to present the draft working paper to
generate feedback and inputs (1 day
consultation meeting) of 35 participants
-meal package (1 lunch and 2 snacks)
-venue rental
-supplies
-miscellaneous
note: 1 day consultation meeting (formal)
to be held in a meeting selected venue

6 meetings x $25.00 =
$150

Total Cost/
Amount
(US$)
150.00

accommodation/per
diem: 5 persons x
$40/person x 2 days x
6 times= $2,400
fuel/ transportation &
supplies: 6 times for
$100.00= $600.00

3,000.00

1 day meeting wit

stakeholders
-meeting package: 35
x $15.00 = $525.00
-venue rental: $300.00
-supplies: $300
photocopy/miscellane
ous: $200.00

1,025.00

Remarks

honoraria for researchers (lump sum)

Communication cost - lump sum

TOTAL

3 persons for $ 200.00

each= $600.00
mobile loads: $200.00

--End--

600.00
200.00
U$ 4,975.00