ALMA , Apoiu ba Lideransa, Mentoria no Aprendizajen (Support for Leadership, Mentoring and Learning) , is the Ministry of Education’s flagship school leadership and teacher professional learning programme, delivered with the support of the Australia–Timor-Leste Partnership for Human Development.
Background
The programme began in 2016 as the Professional Learning and Mentoring Program (PLMP) and was re-branded as ALMA in 2019. Its purpose is to improve the quality of school leadership as a lever for better teaching , particularly the implementation of the National Basic Education Curriculum in public schools across the country.
How ALMA Works
- Leaders of Learning , professional development for school directors and coordinators focused on instructional leadership and safe, inclusive schools
- Peer professional learning groups , school-based learning groups for teachers (GTP) and school leaders (GTL) that meet regularly to plan lessons and solve classroom problems together
- Mentoring , trained local mentors support school leaders and teachers, including facilitation of peer learning activities
- Digital tools , tablet-based applications and the Eskola TL platform support school leaders and mentors in their daily work
Reach and Results
ALMA has been rolled out to all 13 municipalities. Independent research by the Australian Council for Educational Research has found that school leader and mentor support, alongside peer learning, improves teaching quality and effectiveness , with participating schools showing a stronger focus on lesson planning and curriculum use than non-participating schools.
Partners
ALMA is implemented by the Ministry of Education with support from the Government of Australia through the Partnership for Human Development. Read more about Australia’s education cooperation at dfat.gov.au.