EMULI , Edukasaun Multilingue / Multilingual Education , is the Ministry of Education’s mother tongue-based multilingual education programme. It enables children in rural and linguistically diverse communities to begin school in the language they speak at home, before transitioning to the official languages, Tetum and Portuguese.
Why Mother Tongue First?
Many children in Timor-Leste arrive at school speaking one of the country’s more than 30 local languages, not Tetum or Portuguese. When the classroom language is one they do not understand, children struggle to learn and are more likely to repeat grades or drop out. International evidence , and Timor-Leste’s own experience , shows that children who learn to read first in their mother tongue progress faster in literacy, stay more engaged, and later learn the official languages better.
From Pilot to Programme
EMULI builds on the mother tongue-based multilingual education pilot launched in 2012 with support from UNESCO and other partners. A comparative analysis published by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade found that EMULI students consistently outperformed peers in comparable public schools in the early years, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
Where EMULI Operates
The programme currently operates in ten schools, and demand is growing rapidly: the Ministry has received more than 50 proposals from nearby schools seeking to join. Expansion to additional schools, municipalities and language groups is planned through 2026, with knowledge-exchange support from UNESCO.
Beyond Learning Outcomes
EMULI also strengthens the relationship between schools and their communities: parents can participate in their children’s early education, and local languages and cultures are affirmed as part of the national identity.
Contact
EMULI Coordination , Ministry of Education. Email: veronica.pereira@edukasaun.edu.tl.