Understanding attitudes towards education through an historical lens

To understand the attitudes towards education in various parts of the system, it is useful to examine the history of education in Timor-Leste. Four distinct administrative periods have influenced the development of education in the country: (1) Portuguese colonial rule (the early 1500s to 1975), (2) the Indonesian occupation (1975–1999), (3) the United Nations administration (October 1999–May 2002) and (4) Timorese constitutional governments (May 2002 to the present). Each of these administrations introduced new ways of working—language, civil service and structure—into the education system and, indeed, into governance. Attitudes towards education and towards the appropriate subjects of study emerged from nearly 500 years of Portuguese presence in Timor-Leste, although the structures for implementing them probably owe more to the 24 years of Indonesian occupation and, possibly, post-independence donor countries (Earnest, Beck, and Supit 2008).

Sustainable Development Goals:

Good Health and Well-Being

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions