The Minister of Education of Timor-Leste, Dulce Soares, has called on Portugal to implement a reformulated version of the Formar Mais teacher training project, with an even stronger focus on the Portuguese language. The original project concluded in June 2019 after three years of operation across Timorese schools.
Background: The Formar Mais Project
Formar Mais is a teacher training initiative resulting from a partnership between:
- The Ministry of Education of Timor-Leste, through Infordepe (National Institute for Training Teachers and Education Professionals)
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, through the Camões Institute
- The University of Aveiro
The project launched in 2016 with 26 seconded Portuguese teachers deployed to schools throughout the Timorese territory:
- 11 teachers working in the 3rd Cycle of Basic Education
- 15 teachers covering various disciplines of Timorese General Secondary Education
Timor-Leste financed approximately 75% of the cost of sending teachers to the country. Teachers completed training courses at the University of Aveiro, complemented by sessions at the Camões Institute, before working in-country alongside Infordepe.
Minister Dulce Soares’ Vision for Continuation
Speaking to Lusa on the sidelines of a seminar in Dili held to analyse the project, Minister Soares described the evaluation as “very positive” and expressed a clear desire to continue:
“The proposal has been prepared three months ago, we had meetings with personnel of the Camões Institute and it is only necessary to formalise.”
She indicated that the new project is foreseen within the Strategic Cooperation Program (PEC), to be in force between 2019 and 2022, shortly to be signed between the two countries. Her priority for the next phase:
“For me, it should be more Portuguese, with a focus on the Portuguese language.”
Soares also called on Timorese graduates to maintain the momentum created by Portuguese teachers:
“The training they have received must continue every day to improve pedagogical practices and continue to speak Portuguese so as not to let the level of proficiency go back.”
Decentralised Approach and Key Outcomes
The responsible for cooperation of the Portuguese Embassy in Dili, Cristina Faustino, highlighted the project’s commitment to decentralisation — Portuguese teachers were seconded to educational establishments in the municipalities, enabling daily pedagogical action and monitoring.
Key outcomes noted include:
- Libraries, sports venues, and other school facilities built and rehabilitated by trainers
- Students and teachers exposed to best educational practices in Portuguese, grounded in the Timorese curriculum
- Daily in-school presence of trainers allowing consistent pedagogical support
Faustino also acknowledged the dedication of trainees, many of whom travelled long distances with irregular transport to participate, as well as the “spirit of mission” shown by the Portuguese trainers.
As a less positive aspect, Faustino noted that at the secondary level, trainers remained in schools for shorter periods, limiting the depth of ongoing support.
Addressing Systemic Gaps in Teacher Training
The general coordinator of the project, Raimundo José Neto, underlined its importance in addressing longstanding gaps in the Timorese education system, including:
- Insufficient professional training for teachers already in active service
- The need to meet teaching career demands regarding essential competencies
- Consolidation of the Portuguese language across schools
- Implementation of the national curricula in force