Basic education is the heart of Timor-Leste’s school system: nine years of universal, compulsory and free schooling for children from age six, guaranteed by the Education System Framework Law (Law No. 14/2008).
Structure
- First cycle , Grades 1–4: foundational literacy and numeracy
- Second cycle , Grades 5–6: consolidation of core skills and introduction of broader subjects, including science, social studies and the arts
- Third cycle , Grades 7–9: pre-secondary studies with growing emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving
Students who complete Grade 9 sit national examinations and may continue to general secondary or technical-vocational secondary education.
Curriculum and Languages
The National Basic Education Curriculum, reformed in 2015 for the first and second cycles, uses Tetum as the first language of literacy and instruction, with Portuguese introduced progressively so that students master both official languages. Tetum Literacy and Portuguese Literacy are subjects in their own right as well as languages of instruction. Learn more on the Curriculum Reform page.
Measuring Learning
The Ministry monitors early-grade learning through Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessments (EGMA), and is strengthening classroom assessment nationwide with support from the World Bank-financed BEST project and school leadership programmes such as ALMA.
Support for Students
Every public basic school participates in the Merenda Eskolár school feeding programme, which provides daily meals prepared with locally sourced produce , supporting attendance, nutrition and local farmers at the same time.